Can't Pay your way out of this Job!
by Peggi J. Crawford
Summary: Tragedy strikes! Seto Kaiba loses his company and he must now work and live like the rest of us! With psychos, fanatics, rivals and fangirls showing up, making money and getting by may not be as easy as the ex-CEO thought it would be. Luckily for him, there are some people he meets through work who just may help him get by with this huge life-change!
1. 1 - REVISED

Peggi: I originally wrote this in 2006 after getting a new job at Subway. I was lucky enough to get to work with friends of mine, including a girl who came in later on who is one of my very best friends, and I was sitting around wondering what would happen if our very favorite CEO were to end up losing the company and having to get a job like a normal person! This fic was born! I based it off of mostly real events that can take place while working at a job like this, mostly for someone like me, who happens to be hard-working if not a bit (okay a LOT) clumsy and uncoordinated. Workplace injuries, frequent slipping around, and too many burns and scrapes to count. I did dramatize some of it a bit for the fun of the story. Now, I decided to start revising the story because the chapters I have I've read through and I noticed errors that irked me and some things randomly thrown in without much explanation as to why. I'll clear some of those up now.

_The Yugioh cast is in America for no adequately explored reason: this was more for fun, friendshippy feels, and written for friends who enjoyed the story as well as my loyal fans (well, they were back then but likely have moved on to bigger, better authors by now) so scream at the mary-sue ness of any of the characters you'd like, but I still like them (and they're based on real people._

_My self-inserted character's temper...I'll be the first to raise my hands in surrender, yes, I have a hot-headed temper and I go from nice to bitchy in under 3 seconds. I'm bipolar, I've grown up a lot, but this was my general attitude. _

_Why Seto didn't just get a better job...well...blame the economy, aliens, the Rapture, whatever you'd like. I actually planned to get into that much later on, but for now, just let your imagination run freely!_

_So, sit back, enjoy the ride, keep in mind this is more for you to laugh at Seto while I torture him a bit with a job and new life he hates and you can fangirl over him acting like a normal human being._

Seto: I don't like the plot. Do I really have to participate in this?

Mokuba: I'M IN THE STORY TOO!

Peggi: That's right, Mokie, you're in here too. And yes, sorry Seto, you're in here for the long-haul!

Disclaimer: Peggi doesn't own Yu-gi-oh! which is why she's writing this poor excuse for a fanfic. She doesn't own Subway and she doesn't even work there anymore. She doesn't even own most of her OC's or Saint Seiya or any other shows/movies that may be referenced. She makes no money off of this, not that anyone would pay her if she legally could.

Peggi: Seto, I promise not to be too evil to you if you kill the disclaimer for me!

Seto: DONE! (uses his money to kill the disclaimer. . .somehow. . .)

Peggi: YAY!

Eevee: Now, read, review, enjoy, Peg will post -revised next to chapters that are ready to be read!

* * *

**CHAPTER ONE - Revised**

Peggi grumbled as she slammed her fist down on her alarm clock. The stupid thing simply wouldn't stop beeping. She threw it across the room and it smashed into about a million pieces, finally silencing it. She unhappily pulled herself out of bed, grabbing a brand new alarm clock out from under her bed, placing it on her nightstand and setting the time. After that ordeal was over with, she went into the bathroom to brush the tangles out of her long black hair and go about her normal daily routine. After all of that was over with, she walked back to her bed and pounced on a lump that was on the right side of it.

The lump moved slightly, groaning as it did so.

"Eevee, we'll be late for work if you don't hurry!"

"But Peg, it's so early!"

"If two certain someones hadn't taken the liberty of breaking a certain bed, you would still be at Shiryu's place, and we wouldn't have to share a bathroom with your brother," Peggi teased, causing her redheaded cousin to blush as she appeared from under the covers.

"I'm not the one who said Nick could live here, you know. When Shiryu and I needed somewhere to sleep, you should've kicked him out and just given us the other room!" Eevee pulled the covers back over her head.

Peggi pulled them back down below her neck, "if you weren't so tired you wouldn't be telling me to kick him out. Now get up or else I'll start making you sleep upstairs with _both_ of the boys."

Eevee's eyes widened, knowing her cousin was just evil enough to do so, and literally _jumped _out of bed.

On the other side of town, a brown-haired teenage boy was also getting ready for work. He tried to gel his hair down with the cheap store-brand gel he had bought, but it wasn't cooperating. His tiny apartment was the best he could afford right now, and although they were the cheapest apartments money could buy, he was still struggling to pay for living costs. He sighed and pulled an itchy wool-blend short sleeve shirt over his head and couldn't wait to take it off and replace it with his green uniform shirt once he arrived at work. It was his first day at Subway, and he wasn't really looking forward to the labor, but he had to keep himself and his little brother Mokuba alive and healthy.

At the Subway store, Deedra sighed, hoping that their new arrival would be as dependable as the last four people she had hired. After firing Jennisha and several other people, she wasn't sure if she would ever find dependable workers. She heard the front door open and looked around the corner of the prep room to see two of her employees, Peggi and Eevee, early as usual. The cousins had always been hard workers and had always tried to set a good example for the other workers to follow. Only one of them, Peggi's ex-boyfriend Tex, had followed this example. Tex and Peggi had split up when Tex realized that he was gay, causing a bit of tension between the two, but that had been resolved, and now the work environment was a fairly happy place.

"Peggi, there will be a new employee coming in for training today. Would you mind training him?" Deedra asked her.

"Nope, not a problem," the raven-haired girl usually ended up training new employees because she had been there the longest and knew the routine.

Eevee was mostly in charge of paperwork, phone calls, and important financial things such as keeping stock of merchandise, so she didn't tend to work up front unless they were really busy. Shortly after agreeing to train, Peggi heard the door open again. She looked around the corner to see a tall brunette with blue eyes standing in the doorway. He looked completely dumbfounded as to what he was supposed to do, and so she called out to him.

"Are you the trainee?"

He simply nodded and she waved him towards the back of the store, where she met him at the employees' only door.

"I'm Persephone-Sayuri-Hikari James Crawford, but everyone just calls me Peggi because it's way easier. I'll be in charge of training you today, so if you have any questions, just ask. The manager's name is Deedra, and my cousin, the red-head working in the back, will also be here today," she was far too cheerful for his liking.

"Am I supposed to tell you _my_ name now?" the boy asked.

"That would be helpful, otherwise I'll call you 'hey you' and that would be kinda disrespectful," she gave a little laugh but he wasn't entertained.

"I'm Seto Kaiba. I'm from Japan, the company KaibaCorp may sound familiar. I'm sure you've heard of me."

"No, not really. You need a uniform, so follow me," Peggi demanded without skipping a beat.

Peggi led Seto to a white filing cabinet in the middle of a large room and opened it up, pulling out a green shirt and a visor that read "Subway" on the front.

"This should fit. Large, I'm assuming? I'd say medium, but you're tall. If it's too big let me know. The bathrooms are down the hallway from the lobby so you'll have to leave the employee room."

Seto said nothing but followed her directions and was glad to finally get the discount wool off of his skin. He looked into the mirror and cringed at the uniform: black pants and an almost forest green shirt and a visor that he knew would have his hair messed up by the end of his shift. He couldn't stand the thought of spending the rest of his life working in a complete _dump_ like that, but at the moment, he had no choice. Mokuba had to eat _somehow_, and being the kind big brother he was, he figured he should find a way to give his brother aforementioned food.

After changing, he re-entered the area where he had been given his uniform. A red-head who he assumed to be the cousin was placing different types of food on a silver cart, entering a walk-in refrigerator, and then coming out with more types of food for the cart. Once it was full, she walked into an office, looking at Seto long enough to smile and nod, before closing the door.

"Ready?" Seto turned quickly to see Peggi standing by the refrigerator door.

"I suppose."

"First you'll need a number, so come over here to the register. Whenever you come in you'll use your number to punch in, and then punch out later on when you're leaving. Every day when you come in, after you punch in, you can help me prepare the meat and veggies that will be on the silver cart in the prep room. If you ever forget what to do, just ask, okay?"

Peggi was becoming very frustrated by the boy who was standing in front of her. He never smiled and didn't seem too interested in working at the job, but she let that slide out of her mind, as she was sure he must've simply been shy.

"Your number will be 9. I'll show you how to punch in. You'll probably forget so I'll show you for a few days how to do it."

Peggi pressed several buttons and Seto didn't think it looked that hard at all. As the girl walked back into the prep room, he followed her, watching her take some green peppers off of the silver cart.

"I'll start by showing you how to chop up the veggies. Green peppers are simple. I've set up the slicer and all you'll need to do is cut off the ends and put it in the slicer."

She showed him how to cut off the bottoms and the stem, and it seemed easy enough. While he worked on cutting up the green peppers, Peggi began by washing off and slicing the tomatoes. It wasn't long after they had begun their work, that Peggi heard Seto gasp and looked over to see him grabbing at his hand.

"What's wrong?" she asked, walking over, a pretty good idea already of what he'd done.

"I cut myself!" he explained, right before letting a few obscenities go.

"Let me see."

At first, he didn't want to show her, but he held his hand out, palm up, and she could see that he had a cut from the base of his pinky reaching almost to his thumb. The cut didn't look deep, but she knew it must've really stung, as she'd managed to do it quite a few times while lost in thought. She looked up at him, about to ask him to remove the glove he was wearing, when she noticed that he was blushing slightly.

"I've done it about a million times before, so don't sweat it. Just take off your gloves and follow me to the sink."

Without a word, Seto did as he was told, trying to avoid conversation, and thinking about how stupid he, the ex-CEO of KaibaCorp. must've looked, bleeding over a sink and being taken care of by a stranger. Peggi grabbed his hand and ran it under the sink, cleaning it, and then began to wrap it in gauze.

"After I bandage you up try not to get it wet."

"I can do this on my own, you know," he snarled at her.

"Oh, don't be a big baby. I'm just helping."

"Did I _ask_ for your help?" he was really trying her patience.

"Fine, if you want to do this on your own, good luck!" she walked back to her station and angrily sliced the tomatoes.

Seto looked down at his hand and suddenly realized he had cut his right hand, and being right handed meant that it would be difficult to bandage up his own hand. He did the best he could and then went back to work, his sloppy gauze work being very obvious to Peggi.

"Okay, smart guy. We're going to be working together for a while, so why don't you drop your tough guy act and just let me help you?" she tried to be nice.

"I didn't come here to make friends and I don't need your help!" he snapped at her.

Inside of the office, Eevee was laughing to herself. She could hear her cousin arguing with the brunette, and she found the whole thing very funny. Finally, the arguments settled down and she continued to count out the money and wrote down what they would need to order when they were planning to restock. Suddenly, there was a loud crash, and she ran out of the office wondering what her cousin had crashed into this time. Peggi and Seto were _both_ on the floor, black food containers surrounding them.

"What happened?" Eevee asked them both, holding back laughter.

"It was his fault!" Peggi blamed, at the exact same time that Seto said the same thing about her.

"Guys, I don't care who did it just get this fixed before the customers start to come in! This is a business and the flirting really needs to stop!" she stormed back into the office, leaving the two teens bewildered.

"Yeah Seto, stop flirting! Start working!" Peggi tried to hide the blush that was forming across her cheeks.

"Me? You were the one who was doing the flirting! Trying to hold my hand and everything!"

"I wasn't holding your hand! I was trying to stop your stupid bleeding!"

Eevee laughed again, proud of herself for embarrassing her cousin who really had it coming after having done the same to her so many times. She'd heard a bit about Seto prior to his arrival and based on that and her brief encounter with him, it seemed he needed some friends. She also tended to have a sixth sense about people and she knew that her cousin was definitely attracted to him, clearly for his appearance and not the attitude which she figured would cause some problems soon. It was obvious to her that Seto had gone through something that had devastated him, and he would need someone to comfort him. That meant her cousin would likely be compelled to try and help, but with that temper of hers, who knew how it would turn out.

The rest of Seto's first day was uneventful in comparison to the first two incidents. He was confused and didn't know what to do when he was asked to do something, but by the time the crowds had died down, he was exhausted. Peggi and Seto were both about to get off of work when the door opened and another teen walked in, dressed in the subway uniform. Peggi jumped over the counter and tackled him, nearly knocking him to the floor.

"Where are my two bucks, Tex?" she questioned.

"They're on vacation at the moment," he had a big dorky grin on his face.

Seto studied the two and instantly decided not to like this 'Tex' person either. The guy was average looking, definitely not as tall as Seto was, long shaggy black hair and a bit on the heavy side. Seto ignored him as he prepared to leave, when he heard Tex and Eevee talking in the back and mention Peggi. He didn't mean to eavesdrop, but they were right where he needed to be in order to walk out the door.

"I really love her, I didn't plan for any of this to happen, I really do hope she finds someone else. How about that new guy? He's pretty cute."

He heard Eevee laugh and he almost held his breath, hoping they wouldn't catch him around the corner and think he'd been listening in on purpose, "oh him? I could definitely see it happening, he's definitely her type but he doesn't seem to like it much here. Or people in general. I think if they can become friends he might have a shot, I noticed he has blue eyes. You know how much she loves a guy with blue eyes."

"Yeah," Tex laughed nervously "I just really hope we can be friends again one day. I kinda feel like maybe she thinks I used her. We were in such a bad place when we met and she did so much to help me get my life back together and everything in order, then as soon as it was I just came out to her. It was just bad timing."

"Tex, Peg doesn't hold that against you. She was hurt and I hated to see her so unhappy for that long, but she's okay. You guys are able to be civil now and that's the first step. She gets it, you can't control your feelings. If you fall in love with someone you fall in love, and you can't control that. Honestly, I have a feeling she's going to at least try for Seto, she likes to fix people's problems and he seems to have an awful lot of those."

Seto had heard enough of that, so he quickly made his way around the corner walking right between the two and out the door into the main part of the store. He saw Peggi standing outside the doorway leading directly outside, looking through a deck of cards. He noticed right away that they were Duel Monsters cards.

"You play the game?" he asked as he pulled the door open.

She looked up at him and smiled, "I dabble."

"Dabble? Then you _must've_ heard of me! Anyone even slightly familiar with the game would have! My company produced the consoles and duel disks people play the games on! I was the Grand Champion, defeated only by a boy named Yugi!" he was frustrated that this girl was clearly in denial and he couldn't understand why.

"Don't forget Pegasus," she added, pointedly.

"So you _do_ know who I am!" he smirked, since Seto doesn't really _smile_.

"No, I've heard of the Seto Kaiba who lives in a mansion and doesn't have to lift a finger to do things he can pay staff for. Whatever reason you are here working with me, I really don't care, but you aren't the Seto Kaiba I've heard of."

"Well, aren't _you_ a snob," he huffed, walking off and shaking his head in frustration.

"We should duel sometime!" she called out to him.

"I'd wipe the floor with you," he didn't bother to turn around and face her.

She whispered to herself, not loudly enough for him to hear, "you'll find that I'm _full_ of surprises, Kaiba m'boy!"


	2. Chapter 2

Peggi-Alrighty then, recap of chapter one: Kaiba came to work with me at Subway. Eevee is convinced that I like him; Kaiba and I are convinced that we'll be mortal enemies. After finding out that I play Duel Monsters, Kaiba finds out that I know who he really is, but is slightly amazed that I'm not obsessing over the fact that I am in his presence.

Kaiba-Was a recap _really_ necessary?

Peggi-Yes. Domo arigato to everyone who reviewed, and those who didn't, you _really_ should. Also (and Kaiba won't like this part) as I said in the summary, there will be some fangirls showing up at work, and I'm taking volunteers. Any of you Kaiba fans who want an appearance, just review with the name you want to have, and if you want to tell me how you want to look add that too.

Kaiba-You mean to tell me that a bunch of fangirls are going to play the part of my fangirls in this!

Peggi-Only if it pleases you, Kaiba.

Kaiba-Well, it doesn't!

Peggi-Too bad, because it makes _me_ happy, and that's all that matters.

Kaiba-But you just said-

Peggi-BEGIN THE FIC!

**CHAPTER TWO**

"How was your first day at work, Seto?" Mokuba anxiously asked him the second he stepped foot through the apartment door.

"Tiring, Mokuba. I was so glad to get _out_ of that place!"

"You brought me food! Where is it, big brother! It smells yummy!"

Kaiba groaned, realizing that his brother smelled _him_, not food, "No food, Mokuba. We're making our own."

Mokuba pouted for a few seconds, but then decided to share his day at school with his brother, "Today was awesome! There were people in all kinds of clothes and talking in all kinds of accents! There was this one girl who was dressed in all black and dyed her hair black and it was short and spiky and she had really dark eyeliner on! And there was this boy who wore his pants down by his _butt_, Seto! Isn't that strange? And no one was wearing uniforms, either!"

"Sounds like we've hit rock bottom," Seto sighed, walking into the tiny kitchen to find some aspirin.

The next morning came all too quickly, and Peggi kept trying to slam her hand down on the 'snooze' button on her alarm clock, which didn't work very well, as usual, and she ended up throwing it halfway across the room, smashing it into its normal millions of pieces. Sighing from relief that it had finally shut up, Peggi continued to go through her morning routine. She pulled another alarm clock out from under her bed, setting the time, and realizing that she would have to go out and buy another stock of them soon. She walked into the bathroom, emerging, pounced on the lump on her bed, and while the 'lump' got ready for work, she managed to get her uniform on.

Unlike normal days, the lights turned on, and Peggi and Eevee both covered their eyes, wailing in agony from the bright lights shining in their presence.

"You guys _have_ to be vampires. How can you get dressed in the dark?" an annoying voice to both girls spoke.

"Nick, one of these days you'll push Peggi too far, and I can't control an enraged Peggi," Eevee glared, barely able to control her own instincts from pounding the boy.

Eevee's little brother, Nick, had no place to live, and had asked his cousin for refuge. Being the nice cousin she was, Peggi couldn't turn down her own flesh and blood, and so now he lived in her home. She was the owner of the house, allowing Eevee and Nick to live there, and after an incident with a broken bed, Shiryu needed a place to stay as well.

Peggi didn't really mind the company. She absolutely loved Eevee and they were practically sisters, Shiryu was very important to her as well, and she didn't have a problem letting him stay in the upstairs room with Nick, so long as they didn't kill each other. Being the person that _he_ was, Nick loved his sister and cousin to death, but sometimes, or more realistically, _most_ of the time, bothered them to no end.

Nick was too lazy to work, stayed home every day playing video games and having fun, and didn't really understand why the girls were always so cranky. Shiryu did work, though, and understood that they needed their space as well as much-needed and well-deserved rest.

In current time, Nick was really pushing his luck by touching Peggi's dueling deck.

"NICK!" Eevee loudly warned, knowing that if someone touched Peggi's deck, she could become violent.

Peggi was only 18 but lived on her own, not because she _wanted_ to, but because her parents had both passed away. Her mother had been interested in Duel Monsters and had left her daughter her dueling deck after passing on. Of course, Peggi had tweaked the deck to suit her dueling needs, but the basic cards were her mother's, and she didn't allow anyone to touch her sacred cards.

Across town, another sibling was getting on someone's nerves. Seto was trying his hardest to make his brother eat his cereal faster and get ready for school, but the boy didn't want to cooperate.

"You're going to end up late for the school bus and then I'll end up having to drive you and _I'll_ be late!" he tried to urge Mokuba to hurry, but the boy just stuck his tongue out at his brother.

"You're always in such a hurry, big brother. Try to _relax_."

The elder Kaiba brother could only grumble, not having anything else to do or say to make the boy hurry. After leaving his brother to fend for himself, Seto decided to put on his uniform. He cringed, realizing that it still smelled like the restaurant. He had showered the night before, and yet could still smell food on his hands.

Once Kaiba managed to shoo his brother out the door, he grabbed his car keys and walked down stairs from his apartment to the parking lot. He unlocked the door of his car, hating the fact that he wasn't driving a luxury car or even being driven around by a chauffer. He was now the owner of a used, beaten up car that he only bought because it was good on gas mileage.

After starting up the car, Kaiba managed to pull out of the parking lot and made it to work just in time. Peggi and Eevee had already begun their work for the day. Eevee was counting boxes of food items, writing the numbers down on a list, and Peggi was already mixing together sauces with the meat and weighing them on the scale for serving to customers.

Trying to prove some sort of point, Kaiba punched in on his own, not asking for any help at all, and walked into the prep room, standing beside Peggi.

"What do I need to do today?" he asked her.

"Well, I guess you can cut the cucumbers. It's easy. Cut off the ends, cut them in half and put them in the slicer. Do you think you can manage that without losing any limbs?" she laughed slightly.

He only glared at her and grabbed a green-handled knife, putting on gloves, and glaring at her almost the entire time he fixed up the cucumbers.

Preparing the food went by smoothly, no injuries, and if he had not been trying to keep all communication to a minimal, Seto may have gloated that he had done everything right. Without a word to each other, they served customers and finally, it was time for the ex-CEO to work at the register. The general concept was easy for him to grasp, but that would not be his biggest problem. As the CEO of a multi-million dollar corporation, he had. The general concept was easy for him to grasp, but that would not be his biggest problem. As the CEO of a multi-million dollar corporation, he had dealt with money for most of his life.

When Seto told a customer that she owed $5.29, he was dismayed to see that she handed him a $10.00 bill and the change of only ten cents, when she clearly had at least 19 cents.

"If you give me the full 19 cents then I will only owe you twenty cents in change. It makes more sense," he pointed out.

After a short argument with the customer, Deedra, who had been working with them, approached him.

"Just remember, Seto, the customer is always right," she pointed out.

"So, if the customer says that we should give them $500.00 because they are the customer and they are right, we should give it to them?" he glared at the customer.

"I'll take over," Deedra pushed her way in front of the register and promptly apologized for her employee's actions.

Seto fumed, walking back into the prep room, thankful to be out of the line of customers, and deciding to cool off before going back out. He couldn't _believe_ that the customer had been so foolish! Couldn't she see that he was _helping_ her so that she would have less change to carry around! He decided that the next time an event took place like that, he wouldn't be helpful and he would laugh on the inside, thinking of how foolish they are.

It was about 2:00 when Peggi told Seto he could have his lunch break. He had been working for a long time, and was very hungry, so he didn't dare argue. He decided to have a BLT, since that was easy to make and he had been standing for so long, he just wanted to sit down! He had just begun to prepare his food when he saw a group of four boys walking into the restaurant. He growled, realizing that he would have to help them before he could eat.

"Hey, is Peggi around?" Kaiba recognized these boys, and the platinum blonde haired boy spoke.

"What are you doing in here, Marik?" Kaiba snapped.

"It's none of your business," Joey snapped, "and wow I never thought I'd see the day money-bags had to work at fast food!"

Joey began laughing insanely, and Peggi walked out, apparently hearing the commotion.

"Hi!" she greeted them.

"Hey there!" Ryou greeted, his voice a lot stronger than Seto had remembered it to be.

Peggi jumped over the counter, just like she had to tackle Tex, who was also in the group, and pulled all four boys into one gigantic hug.

"So, what are all of you doing here?"

"Just stopped in to say hi. How have you been?" Marik asked.

"Pretty good. Nick is driving me absolutely bonkers, Shiryu is still job searching for something better, and Eevee is having trouble with those stupid weekend college classes. If I were her, I'd drop the class and get my money back and try a new teacher. Mr. Allen is such a jerk! History sucks, I don't know why she needs to take it anyway."

"Hey! History is the best!" Marik recoiled.

"Then how about you tutor me!" Eevee walked into the lobby, a clipboard in here hands.

The clipboard was placed on the chips rack and she took the time to hug them all, ending with hugging Peggi.

"Nice to see you too, Eev," Peggi laughed.

Eevee just smiled brightly at her. This whole event was making Seto sick to his stomach. All of the hugging and the laughing and the talking, it was more than he wanted to take. He continued to make his food, and he walked into the lobby to sit down. Tex followed him and sat across from him.

"It'll get better," he informed Seto.

"Get lost, I didn't ask for some friendship speech."

"I'm not talking about friends, I'm talking about the feeling of losing everything you have and having to start from the bottom," he explained.

"What would you know? You're just some average person, no future, no money, no _anything_."

"I guess you and Peggi aren't talking. If you were, you'd know that all of us, at one point, had more than you could possibly imagine. I was an heir of a fortune, lived the high life for many years. I met Peggi at a fancy dinner party, and I fell in love with her. We had only been together for a short time, when I learned that an uncle I'd never even met had somehow been swindling my money away. I, to this day, don't know how he did it, but he put me into the poor house. I lived off of Peggi's money for quite some time, and there was a point where I thought I'd hit rock bottom, but then Peggi introduced me to a world I didn't think existed. I started to enjoy my life."

"Well then," Seto began, "go enjoy your life at another table, so I can eat in peace."

"Maybe if you weren't so snobby, you wouldn't be in this situation. Try _talking_ to people and being _nice_. If you keep this attitude up, you'll be fired from here in no time, and you'll lose some very valuable allies. You know, Peggi may work here for money, but try looking up her address. When you see where she lives, you'll start talking to her because I know what you'll be wondering. How can a girl who works as an employee at a restaurant like this, afford a house as big as hers. Enjoy that sandwich, since I'm sure you'll never enjoy the loneliness."

Seto got chills up and down his spine for some reason, and shrugged it off. He couldn't stand it when people started to be encouraging and say obnoxious things to him about friendship and kindness and all of that other crap that Yugi and his friends preached constantly.

He finished his meal and was dismayed to see that the group of boys had not left, and were engaging in some kind of debate. As he got closer, within hearing range of the group, he became interested. They were arguing over which was the best duel monsters card.

Joey was claiming that the Red Eyes Black Dragon was the greatest, Ryou believed that Change of Heart could rule all cards, Marik gave his opinion of the Winged Dragon of Ra, and Peggi's answer couldn't be unnoted by Seto.

"Did you just say that your favorite card is the Blue Eyes White Dragon?" he asked her, "I own the only three copies of that card in existence!"

He was either trying to show off, or to join in the conversation. Either way, Peggi twitched by his comment.

"No I did _not_ say the Blue Eyes White Dragon, dummy! I said the _White Eyes Blue _Dragon! Learn to listen or stay out of our conversations!"

"The White Eyes Blue Dragon? There is no such thing!" he recoiled; offended that she would say such things to someone of his importance.

"There is only one in existence, and it is one of the most powerful cards in the world! It has an attack power of 4,500 and defense of 3,500! It is unstoppable and impossible to beat!"

"If such a card existed, it would be in my deck at this very moment. Stop spouting your lies!"

"It wouldn't be in _your_ deck, because it's in mine!"

Eevee decided she needed to referee the argument, because Peggi, while fine with debating her friends, was _not_ the right person to argue with if you were _not_ a friend.

"Okay, so Peggi owns the card, it does exist, and you need to go to work, Seto."

"I'll believe it when I see it," Seto said, walking back towards the prep room.

"Cool it, Peg," Eevee ordered, "if he has cable, he'll see soon."

Seto stood in the back, arms crossed, fuming. How could someone own a card he had never heard of? And moreover, how could someone own a card more powerful than his Blue Eyes White Dragons? He would have to see this card for himself.

At the end of his shift, Seto thought it was a good time to question Peggi about this card of hers. He was determined to see it, and as he had done with Yugi when they had first met, he decided that putting on a nice act would be the best way.

"Peggi?" he asked, approaching the girl who was just walking out the door.

"Yeah?" she snarled.

"I'm sorry about earlier. I was just taken off guard. I'm sure you know that as the owner of the Blue Eyes, they are my favorite cards. I was really surprised when I heard that there was a card more powerful than them, and apparently more rare. I've never seen one, so I was hoping you'd let me see yours?"

Peggi knew that she shouldn't trust someone like him. After all, he had switched Suguroku's Blue Eyes for a fake, and then ripped it in half! Being the person she was, Peggi decided that she would be nice enough to show him the card, and if anything bad took place, she would rip his eyes out of their sockets.

She pulled her deck out of her pocket, and Seto waited in anticipation. As she flipped through her deck, he saw many powerful cards, and just as she came upon the card she had been searching for, he grabbed another card out of her hands.

"What is _this_!" he asked her, seeing a blank card, one that looked very familiar to him, in a terrifying way.

"It's called a soul card. You can trap a soul inside of it and use their body as your very own puppet, basically using them as an empty shell," she explained.

"I know _what_ it is, I'm more interested in where you got it!"

"Well," she began. . .

**END OF CHAPTER TWO**

Peggi-Yay another perfectly ended chapter!

Kaiba-HEY! I WANT TO KNOW WHERE YOU GOT IT FROM!

Peggi-Then wait for chapter three! Duh!

Marik-Yay I made an appearance! But Peggi, where does this take place? In chapter one you mentioned that Kaiba was from Japan, so are we not there?

Peggi-I guess we're in America just because I know more about America. How all of you ended _up_ in America, I am not sure, and honestly, don't care.

Eevee-Peg, did you realize that you call Kaiba 'Kaiba' and 'Seto' in here, and it switches a lot?

Peggi-(sweatdrop) umm. . .yeah. . .I'm used to calling him 'Kaiba' but I'm trying to stay on first name terms and I keep forgetting and I'm too lazy to fix it.

All-Ah.

Peggi-And now, for some fun! We shall learn. . .Japanese! because I will be using a lot of it!

All-Hooray!

Marik-Oyasumi and Oyasuminasai means Goodnight!

Eevee-Koi and Ai means love!

Peggi-Ja ne means see you!

Kaiba-Seiei means powerful!

James-I'M NOT GAY!

Peggi-I know. But for the sake of this fanfic, you have to be. At least you got an important role.

Eevee and Peggi-Join us for chapter three of You Can't Pay your Way out of this Job!

Kaiba-One more definition, it covers this fanfic well. Taikutsu.

Peggi-What does that mean?

Kaiba-IT MEANS BORING!

Peggi-(hits Kaiba with a yard stick)


	3. Chapter 3

Peggi-Recap time! So, Kaiba obviously isn't having much fun with the life of the money-less. Nick pushes his luck with me and you, the readers, discover that my dueling deck is very important to me because it was one of her mother's possessions that she left to her after she passed away. Kaiba finds out that I have a rare card that he never knew even existed, and he then finds a soul card in my deck.

Kaiba-Yes, yes, now start the fic so the readers will know where you got it!

Eevee-In total randomness, Yah himar in Egyptian means 'you donkey!'

Kaiba-What's that supposed to mean?!

Eevee-(blink) (blink) I just _said_ it means 'you donkey!'!

Kaiba-Not quite what _I _meant . . .

Peggi-I have a few fangirls waiting in the wings for their appearances, and you will all be mentioned, but it won't be for a few more chapters. I am still taking fangirl requests, which will be needed throughout the story, so if you're interested, its still not to late!

Kaiba-Yes it is!

Marik-Come on I want to know how you got a hold of a soul card!

Peggi-Oh, right. PLEASE LEAVE REVIEWS, AS I LOVE THEM SO VERY MUCH!

CHAPTER THREE

"Well," she began, "during my introduction of myself to you, did anything about my name ring any bells?"

"No. Now can you please answer my question?" he tried very hard not to push her so he would actually get an answer, but he was becoming impatient.

"My last name, dear Kaiba-boy, is Crawford, and I am related to Pegasus James Crawford."

At this point, after being called Kaiba-boy, Seto wasn't sure if he should glare and become angry for the name, or gasp in shock from the realization that his co-worker, the girl standing right in front of him, was related to his worst enemy.

"He is my cousin from my father's side, and when I was born, he was in the room with my parents and I. He thought it would be cute to give me a name similar to his, as no one else in our family showed any interest in my birth. That is how my name came about. Persephone-Sayuri-Hikari was my mother's idea, Peggi for short, and James was taken from my cousin's name. Our family name is Crawford, and thus, you have me!" she explained so happily.

"So Pegasus simply _gave_ you one of those things?!" Seto was now setting into the shock of it all.

"Well, shortly after the Duelist Kingdom tournament, he was in the hospital for quite some time. Eevee and I visited him all of the time, and during one of our visits, he was sleeping a lot, so we got bored. We looked though his things just for something to do, and we came across a bunch of duel monsters cards. I pulled out my deck, and we dueled. Halfway through the duel, Eevee, who had been using his deck, noticed a bunch of these things, and didn't know what they were. When he woke up we asked how to duel with them, and he just laughed. He explained that in ancient Egypt, the game of duel monsters was for high stakes."

Seto already knew where this was going, but he was still interested.

"If you lost a duel, your soul was actually _taken_ from your body using magick, and then it was locked in a stone tablet forever! That's why he made these cards. They just represent the stone tablets. I thought they totally rocked so I asked for one, and he said we could each have one. I just keep it with me because it makes me feel stronger when I duel. Like if I win, I will have more than just the prize of a big ego."

"But you've never stolen a soul have you?" Seto was a bit frightened by this girl.

"Eevee and I have stolen the hearts of many men, Kaiba-boy, but never a soul. Although Pegsi assures me that it _is_ possible to lock souls away in these things," Peggi just laughed, "kinda funny, isn't it! Sometimes I think my cousin just wants to see me make a fool of myself by trying such silly things!"

Seto just faked a chuckle, and then suddenly his face became serious, "Stop calling me Kaiba-boy, or I'll lock _your_ soul away in that card!"

Although he hadn't meant to make some kind of a joke, he had, and Peggi found it very amusing. She grabbed back her card, laughing, and then pulled out the card she had been questing for in the first place. Holding up the card so he could see it, she gave a proud smile for her very rare card.

Seto almost melted at the card's beauty. The amazing artwork, the perfect detail; it was almost as wonderful as the Blue Eyes White Dragons!

"Would you mind if I held it for a few minutes?" he asked, almost drooling over the card.

"Yes, I would. No one is allowed to touch this card. No one is really allowed to touch my _deck_ because it is so important to me. Sorry, but you can only look, you can't touch," she giggled a bit at the way that sentence sounded.

He grumbled a bit, but had no choice but to respect her strange feelings. He suddenly realized that he had put his deck in his pocket that morning because Mokuba kept trying to play with it and he didn't want his younger sibling to lose any of his cards.

"Would you like to see my dragon cards?" he asked her.

"Sure!" she suddenly felt eager to see the cards up close, as she had never actually _seen_ a Blue Eyes White Dragon in person.

Seto pulled out his dueling deck and searched through his deck to find the cards he was looking for. A smirk that was the best smile he could muster crossed his face, and he held up one of his prized cards.

"So, those are the cards that you love so very much," Peggi began, "they're very amazing. One day, we'll have to duel and see which one of our dragons is more powerful."

"Agreed, but just because your monster has more attack and defense points, don't underestimate me!" Seto warned.

"So, are we getting along?" Peggi asked, smiling.

Seto looked around them, and then back at the brunette, "Not a word of this to anyone, okay?"

Peggi just laughed and nodded, "Well, I have to get home. My younger cousin is there, home alone, and I'm afraid he'll get into my candy jar. . .again."

"My little brother is at an after school program right now and he'll be out soon, so I need to leave as well. See you at work tomorrow, Miss Crawford."

Peggi nodded, "Okay, see ya later, Kaiba-boy!" she began walking off.

"I told you not to," Seto was cut off, caught off guard by Peggi's next actions.

The girl turned back around and jumped at him, giving him a big hug around the neck, and then took off, running. Seto was left speechless. Had he just been given one of those 'hug' things that he had never gotten from anyone but his little brother? He was knocked out of his thoughts by a voice.

"So, no deaths yet?"

He instantly knew the question had come from a nosey redheaded girl with big green eyes.

"Eevee, how long have you been standing behind me?" he turned around with a glare on his face.

"I've been watching you two through the window, mostly to make sure there weren't any street-side casualties, but I've been standing _behind_ you since she started running off. Now then, are we all friends yet, or have you two still got your guards up about each other?"

"We are _not_ friends!" he hissed at her.

"Oh, alright then. I guess I need glasses now because my eyes tricked me into seeing a cute little bonding moment between you and my cousin," Eevee stuck her tongue out at Seto.

"That word is disgusting. Never say it again. And no, there wasn't any _bonding_;" he absolutly _spit_ out the word, "it was just a couple of duelists sharing their prized cards. Nothing more."

Eevee rolled her eyes, letting out a little giggle, "Call it what you want, you're not as tough as you'd like to be, and now that you don't have your money to back up your attitude, you're going to have to lighten up or you'll never make it in the real world."

The redhead walked off, following the direction Peggi had run off to, and turned around the building to where their car was parked. Peggi was already in the car, sitting in the passengers' side. Eevee's eyes lit up and she jumped into the drivers seat.

"I get to _drive_ today?!" the girl was so excited.

"Yup. Now, this time, don't crash into any stop signs. They are meant to tell you to stop, not to _cause_ you to stop."

It took Seto a while to start his car up, and when he did, he was very dismayed to find all of the red lights that could possibly show up on the dash board, did show up. He was used to seeing this in the car every time he would start it, but he had hoped that they would stop lighting up. He didn't know what they were for, really, but he did know that red lights weren't a good sign on a dashboard. Once he had pulled out of the parking lot, he realized he hadn't put on his safety belt, which was very ironic at the moment, because just as it crossed his mind, a car was pulling into the exit lane of the lot, and hit Seto's car, head on.

Neither car had been going over 20 miles per hour, but head on collisions always did twice as much damage than any other kind of collision, and both cars had been crunched up in the front. Seto, while stunned, had not seriously been injured. The other driver got out of her car and ran up to Seto's window. He rolled it down and she strung a long set of apologies together, and began writing down her insurance information and license plate number.

Out of habit, Seto _almost_ told her that it wasn't necessary, but then remembered that he _wasn't_ Mr. Rich anymore, and took the information. The collision had been her fault, and so he was more concerned with how long it would take to fix his car. He tried to start it up again, but no such luck. He had a damaged car that wouldn't run, and a little brother who needed to be picked up soon.

The woman called for a tow truck and offered to try and find him a ride, but it would take a while for someone to get there. Seto was considering taking the offer, but first he would have to somehow contact Mokuba to let him know that he would be later than expected. What _wasn't _expected was for someone to pull up to the scene, and offer to help out.

"Looks like you could use a ride," Marik pointed out to Seto.

"I'm fine. I don't need your help."

"Okay, then. Have it your way. Hope you're not going anywhere important, because it'll take a while for someone to come pick up your car."

Seto glared at Marik, not sure what his response should be, and decided to find out why he was being helped in the first place, "Why are you being so nice to me all of a sudden? In case you haven't watched the news lately, I don't have anything to give you in return."

"Eevee was right. Rich boy needs to let his guard down a little bit. The whole world is out to get you, isn't it?" Marik rolled his eyes, "Look, I just figured I'd be nice and offer you a ride home because Eevee seems to see something good inside of that cold black heart of yours, and I figured it would be nice to get to know you, but if you'd rather walk, then I'm fine with that too."

Seto was about to say something sarcastic and sharp to him, but decided to take the offer instead of waiting for the woman's friend's to show up. Without a word, he walked to the other side of the car and got inside.

"I need to pick my little brother, Mokuba, up from school. He goes to a place called Chesapeake, have you heard of it?" Seto asked.

"Yeah, I know where that is. It's the new middle school right next to the high school."

The drive to the middle school was almost completely silent. Seto didn't want to say anything mostly because he had nothing to say to someone he didn't really like and didn't really want to have anything to do with. Marik didn't say anything because he was blasting the song "So Cold, Remix" on his radio. Had it not been for the radio, Seto might've said more as he stepped out of the car to find out where his brother was waiting for him, but his head was hurting too much for that.

Marik waited for the brothers to arrive at the car, and turned down the radio as they got inside.

"Marik, how come you brought my brother to pick me up?" Mokuba asked, confused.

"Kaiba didn't tell you?" Marik raised an eyebrow at Seto.

"Nooooo. . ." Mokuba was suddenly curious.

"Some moronic woman crashed her car into mine. It wouldn't start, and Marik offered me a ride to come and pick you up," Seto seemed to want to end the explanation as quickly as possible.

"Marik, do you still have the Millennium Rod?" Mokuba asked him.

At first, Marik hesitated, but then replied, slowly and confused as to why the question had been asked, "No, I haven't had the Rod for a very long time. Why do you ask?"

"Well, because my brother let you give him a ride to get me, and I thought you were controlling his mind to, uh, do something bad again!"

Marik laughed, "Nope, I haven't been evil since I tried to kill the two of you that last time."

Seto laughed nervously, not sure whether Marik was really joking, or if he was still harboring a grudge against the two.

"Laugh, Kaiba, _laugh_!" Marik rolled his eyes, "I'm not out to get you, don't worry. I've got a lot of friends now and I've improved a lot. I wouldn't expect you to know that, since you have been stuck in your stuffy office for so long. My friends and I have been on television a bunch of times for our accomplishments in Duel Monsters and a lot more other reasons too. I haven't really needed to plot evil or cause chaos since I met the group. It wouldn't hurt you to make a few friends too, you know."

Seto still laughed, not really knowing what he should do at the moment, but he was starting to feel a bit safer with the ex-deranged teen.

It didn't take long for Marik to arrive outside of the apartment complex, and Seto turned to face the back seat to talk to his little brother.

"Mokuba, I will meet you inside in just a minute. Do you have your key?" Seto asked his younger brother.

"Are you guys gonna talk about grown-up stuff behind my back?" the younger boy curiously questioned his older sibling.

"Mokuba, just go," Seto was becoming impatient with his younger brother.

Unhappily, Mokuba listened to his brother's orders and climbed out of the car, school books in hand, and made his way up to the apartment that they were staying in.

"You wanted to talk to me?" Marik pulled his keys out of the ignition."

"Ever since I've lost KaibaCorp, people have been trying to be my 'friend', hoping that soon I will win back my company and they will have it easy from that point on. The chances of me winning back my company are, about, one in one-hundred-thousand-billion, and yet, they still have this gold-digger's idea that if they befriend me now, they will have no worries in their future. I began working at Subway just so that Mokuba and I could survive, and the only people who genuinly seem to care are you and your band of friends. My only question is, what's in it for you?"

Marik raised an eyebrow, almost giving an appauled look reguarding the question, "Because my 'band of friends' and I are actually _good, decent_ people, and whether or not you have realized that by now, it does not change the way we feel. None of us have it easy, and none of us regret the hand of cards we were delt. We all get by, day by day, and the only thing that helps is the fact that we have each other. Had it not been for Yugi, I wouldn't have been able to escape my evil Yami, and had it not been for Eevee, Yugi would never have figured out how to make his hair look less electrocuted!!!"

Seto giggled a bit at that last statement, "I noticed his hair wasn't pointy anymore. Why did it do that in the first place?"

"Umm. . .nobody knows. We think it was his shampoo. Besides the point!!! In one way or another, each of us has played our role in helping one another out. The common thread that holds us all together is the one thing that we have in common. We are all seeking friendship and family, looking towards a better tomorrow, and we are all willing to put in a little bit of our own time to help another when they need it. We could help you out when you need it, if only you would give this friendship thing a try!"

"This all sounds like it came from a children's fairy tale book!" Seto exclaimed, "I, for one, never enjoyed stories as a child-"

"You never _were_ a child, Kaiba! From the time you were a kid, you craved nothing but power and control!"

"That's where you're wrong, Marik. I _wanted_ a childhood filled with toys and treats and, and a _family_! Instead, I lived in an orphanage trying to defend Mokuba and praying that one day a nice family would see the both of us and love us from the start! But that's not how it worked! Gonzoburo found us, and it was the first and only opportunity we would've had to get the both of us out of there, _together_. He _used_ me for his own agenda, and treated me like _shit_! I put up with it and lost sleep to study and become what _he_ wanted me to become, not what _I_ wanted to become. All so Mokuba could have a childhood! I didn't want money, I didn't want power, I didn't even want to become a CEO! I was _12_! What sane child even knows what that _means_?! All I ever wanted to do was give Mokuba everything he ever wanted, and I did! How could I give him that and then take all of it away?! I gave up my dream to take care of my little brother, and all I ever wanted to do was become a dancer!"

Seto's hands both flew up to his mouth at the same time to cover it, almost as though he was late at stopping his words from leaving it. Marik's eyes widened in shock, and then a small smile appeared on his face.

"So, you actually wanted to do something _normal_ when you were little?" Marik asked, trying to make a serious face, failing miserably.

"I think I should go. Mokuba is alone and could be getting himself into trouble. Thanks for the ride."

Seto left the car as quickly as he possibly could, leaving Marik to think about what had just happened. He was truly amazed that Seto hadn't planned on becoming the man, er, _teen_ he was today, or at least before he'd lost his company, but was even more shocked by the fact that he had dreamed of becoming something normal. In fact, he had the same dream that their friend Téa had. She, too, had wanted to become a type of dancer; a ballet dancer, to be exact.

Marik decided that since the two of them shared a common link it would now be easier to get him to open up. Marik, himself, did not care one way or the other about what happened to Seto, but other memebers of their tight clique _did_, including the two that held the group together, Peggi and Eevee.

Marik sighed, and put the key back into the ignition, pulled out of the parking lot, and headed back to his town house.

Seto stood inside of the doorway to his apartment, leaning against the closed door, sighing heavily. He had never told anyone, including Mokuba, his dream of becoming something other than the KaibaCorp CEO that he had become, muchless told them of his _real_ dream! So, why had he spilled his heart out to someone he hardly knew, and at one point, hated? Maybe he could give their little friendship idea a try.

END OF CHAPTER THREE

Peggi-Hooray! My chapter rocked! So, I decided to use Pegsi's Japanese name for this, so that our last names would click, but I'm sure you all knew that his name was different and more Americanized in the Subbed version. After all, he is the only American character in the show! So, my computer decided to do something terrible to me, which is why this chapter didn't come out for so long. MSWord decided that it didn't want to work anymore, and _all _of my stories and fanfics were totally wiped from my computer. I had to re-write most of this, and it bothers me when I have to re-write something because the second time around is never as great as the first. Hopefully, I pulled through with this chapter!

Eevee-I think we're all just happy that you _updated_!

Peggi-True. So, next I'll work on that Saint Seiya fanfic, and for this story, I am still taking fangirls to add to the pile I've already collected, so if you're interested, just sign up in a review or email!!!

Kaiba-Hurry and review so that she updates! I want to be rich again!

Peggi-. . .you won't be rich, Kaiba-boy. You lost KaibaCorp and I'm not nice enough to give you back your crappy ego thingy.

Kaiba-DON'T CALL ME- wait. . .if I'm really, really, _really _super nice to you, will you think about it?

Peggi-(evil smirk). . .sure!

Kaiba-Leave her nice reviews everyone! .

Peggi-(so that Kaiba can't hear her) sucker!!!


	4. Chapter 4

Seto-Luckily for me, Peggi encountered several problems while writing this fic!

Marik-One, she had to have back surgery, which she doesn't mind you asking about. This surgery caused her to have to quit working at Subway, sooo that made it difficult for her to think of the troubles she could put Kaiba through.

Eevee-Two, Peggi and I are related. How does this matter? Easily! We are both very lazy authoresses who don't like to update. . .

Peggi-Maybe if her Eevee would update more often, Peggi would feel more compelled to update as well. . .hint hint. . .HINT!!!

James-And three.

Peggi-I might have to get another job soon. A _real_ job. I will work as a dental assistant which I have been certified to do for quite some time but have been waiting for my back surgery to do so. . .lately I have been sitting around, watching LittleKuriboh videos on YouTube (which isn't mine!)

Seto-Let's just get on with this chapter so that I can go to bed!

**CHAPTER FOUR**

The next morning Seto had rented a car from Enterprise, and luckily, they pulled through. He was a bit late for work, but after his accident, Deedra did not make much of a fuss. She really could not do much, as she was about to fire three of the employees for tardiness, lack of respect for authority and for not following general rules. Roxy, Danny and Christy were about to become Subway history, which was both good and bad news for Seto. It gave him more hours to work there, meaning that he would have more money, but he also didn't like working to begin with.

Seto pulled the green uniform shirt over his head and felt the sudden urge to punch the face staring back at him from the mirror's reflection. Something about it angered him and almost made him want to cry. He knew that he could depend on the people around him for help and advice, but that wasn't what he wanted. He didn't want to ask others for help, he wanted to be independent! He opened the bathroom door and walked into the workroom, ready for his day when he came face to face with someone he had not met before.

The girl who stood before him had short shoulder length black hair and a lot of freckles. He was pretty sure she looked Russian and had dark brown eyes.

"Who the hell are you?" he asked her, mostly shocked because of nearly bumping into her.

The expression on her face turned from excitement to hurt, "I'm Chinko, and I'm new here. Sorry, I didn't mean to bother you."

She turned to walk off, but Peggi, who was already in the workroom pulled her back, "No, Chinko. Seto, _you_ go fill up the chips and sodas today. Don't worry about him, sweetie. He's just a jerk to everyone. He's new here too and thinks that he's better than the rest of us, for some very odd reason. Honestly, I don't see the reason."

Angrily, Seto stacked chips on the racks and arranged the bottled drinks in the cooler and wondered why he'd ever even considered being friends with people such as them! They were all jerks, and Peggi was the worst! In his angry mood, he had filled the cooler without even realizing it and before he knew it, his job was done. He didn't want to go into the work room because that would mean he would have to face that horrible girl again, but he wouldn't make money standing around in the lobby.

Peggi was showing Chinko how to prepare the vegetables for the morning shift, so that meant he was supposed to make sandwiches in the front with Eevee. The red-head was already with a customer and Tex was at the register. Seto took his place placing the veggies, cheese, and sauces on the subs. Things went smoothly and with the extra hand during the lunch rush hour, Seto even ate before he felt half starved.

While eating his lunch, Seto looked out of the window at the traffic and thought about how he could have prevented his company from crumbling to the ground and closed his eyes, imagining how wonderful things would have been if he had just kept his investments straight, but then another thought occurred to him. Was he truly happy before? Staying up late every night, exhausted in school, studying for both school and ways to improve his company. He was probably addicted to caffeine and he had taken medications to stay focused more than once. He had been a working machine and wasn't even a senior in high school yet.

For the rest of Chinko's shift, Eevee taught her the basics of cutting bread and showed her how much meat to put on each type of sub, but assured her that if she needed someone to help her there were plenty of people there who would be more than willing to help her out. Peggi had assigned Seto to washing dishes and while she filled up the veggies in the front, Tex teased him about how great he looked in the pink gloves. Peggi brought in a pile of black containers that had been emptied while refilling the veggies and placed them in the tub filled with soapy water. Seto pulled one out, scrubbed it clean with the sponge, rinsed it and then dropped it into the bin with the sanitizer. He was bored for the most part but also a bit irritated by Tex's constant mocking.

The dishes were finally dwindling down to nothing and Seto just wanted to rush to get them done.

"You'd better slow down. When you rush you can get hurt," Peggi reminded, walking by to refill her drink.

Seto just mumbled something behind her back and continued about his work. Finally he finished, and after what seemed like several hours of washing, he could take off the pink terrors and get back to something less. . .wet. Still angry from his arrival at work and from the taunting of Tex, Seto began to storm off when suddenly, the floor seemed to stop being under his feet.

In his rage, while washing the dishes, he has managed to empty enough water onto the floor to create a slippery puddle where he stood and when he moved he had slipped. He tried to regain his balance by grabbing onto the ledge of the dishwashing basin, but he missed and instead, grabbed the stacked containers next to the sink. He felt a sharp pain as his head hit the floor, and what sounded like thunder as the containers made their way along side of him. All of his anger subsided and was replaced with pain and embarrassment as Tex, Eevee and Peggi all rushed into the room to see what had happened. Chinko had left already which he was thankful for, as he didn't need her mocking him too. He could tell that they were all suppressing giggles but none of them said anything to him.

Eevee extended her hand for him and he almost swiped it away, but his head hurt too much at that moment to argue with her, and so he let her help him up. Eevee's mocking smile turned into a smirk, which she directed at her older cousin.

"Hey, Peg, you make sure he's okay. Tex, you help me up front with the customers. Both of you are about to get off so if you need to stay in the back for the rest of your shifts that's fine."

Peggi's eyes widened and she almost argued with her cousin, but couldn't, as the girl had already taken off in the other direction, dragging Tex behind her.

"You're trying so hard to get them to realize how they feel, aren't you?" Tex laughed after they were out of earshot.

"She has that same irritation she got when she was around you, so I know that it must be some form of love. . .and him? Well, he couldn't find any better than that!"

Tex just smiled, hoping that Eevee was right.

"Didn't I warn you about rushing around?" Peggi asked him, pulling out the frequently-used first aid kit.

"There was water on the floor and I slipped! It's not like I was running or anything!" if he had been Mokuba's age he might've stuck his tongue out at her by this point.

She took an ice pack out of the kit and snapped it down the middle, mixing the chemicals inside, creating a cool mixture inside of the plastic wrapping. She handed it to him and he placed it on the back of his head.

"So, you don't think you'll pass out or anything do you? You don't need to go to the doctors or something, right?" she raised an eyebrow.

"No, I'm fine," he lied, honestly wondering himself if he needed to go to the emergency room.

While Seto leaned against the back wall with the ice pack to his head, Peggi began picking up the containers and dipping them back into the sanitizer before arranging them back onto the racks to dry. Seto's head pounded and his wrist hurt from where it had slipped along the side of the sink. He looked down at his wrist and realized that he had a friction burn on the inside of his wrist and groaned. This job just wasn't working out!

Peggi looked up at Seto and realized he was eyeing his wrist and she rolled her eyes. She used her forefinger and middle finger and smacked his wrist really hard where the friction burn mark was.

"OW! What was that for?! Is that supposed to keep it from bruising or something?"

"No, I just felt like punishing you for making me pick up all of these fricking dishes because you can't control you stupid gosh darned _temper_!"

His eyes widened at her, not expecting this girl to become so angry, but then her face softened, "Sorry, but I hate it when people cause more work for me than needed. It'll probably be gone by tomorrow just don't mess with it."

He considered thanking her, reconsidered, and then thought about it again but kept his mouth shut. He wasn't sure if he should be mad at her for smacking his hand or thankful that she wasn't teasing him about what had just happened; he knew she was trying very hard to hold these comments back. She stood against a wall, leaning back with her eyes closed and Seto took a deep breath, hoping his head would stop hurting.

"If I give you something will you _please_ not ask for any more or tell anyone that I gave it to you?" she spoke.

Seto wasn't sure if he should trust her but she held her hand out to him, holding a small white pill, "What's that?"

"It's called Tylenol 3. It's got codeine in it so I shouldn't be giving it out but I think you could probably use one. . .just don't tell anyone I gave it to you okay?"

Seto took the pill from the darker haired girl and swallowed it without anything to drink and leaned against the wall again. They both only had half an hour left and then he would be free to leave, and she would be able to get out of her duty to watch over him. Time went by slowly for the two of them but finally it was time to punch out.

"I'll be back later on to pick you up, okay Eev?" Peggi made sure that her cousin would have a ride home.

"No problem, Tex is taking me home. We get off at the same time. I'll see you there!"

Peggi nodded and punched out. She signed her time printout and went into the bathroom to change. Seto did the same and when he emerged he saw Peggi talking on her cell phone in the hallway. This was definitely not how he'd expected to see her dressed, as she always left in her uniform and arrived in uniform. Her red tank top had the words "Beautiful Nightmare" written in black and glitter and she wore a short black skirt. Boots that came up to her knees and tied in the front were placed over fishnet stockings with spider webs on them as the design, and her hair was pulled back at the top and sides but still hung down so that it was basically half up, half down.

"What?!" she yelled at Seto, realizing that he was staring at her.

"Hot. . ." was all he could reply.

"Excuse me?" she glared, irritated that someone was watching her while she was on a private call, "I'll meet you there, I have some sort of stalker," she closed the flip phone, "What did you say to me?"

"I didn't say _anything_! I just, uh, I like your hair! Can't anyone compliment you without you turning into some prissy little bitch?!"

Eevee heard the voice of her cousin followed by Seto yelling in response, and as there were no customers in line at the moment, she excused herself from the front to make sure no one was hurt, and by no one, she was concerned about Seto. She walked from the backroom into the hallway and was about to begin yelling at both of them, but turned back around. Tex's concern began when he saw a shocked look on Eevee's face.

"Eww they're kissing like in those movies, aren't they?! When the people who like each other argue and end up kissing! Gross! He's not even that cute!"

Eevee simply shook her head, "It's even more interesting than that! It's like something out of a bad fanfiction! She was dragging him out the back exit towards our car. . .you know what happens in those movies when there is a heated argument and then there are cars?"

Tex's eyes widened, "They wouldn't! In the car?! That _you_ ride in?!"

"I believe it's so. You know she can't control her temper, and when she is angry there is only one thing left to do!"

Seto pulled against the girl who was shoving him into the passenger side of a car, "You're kidding me. You want to play a Duel Monsters game with me? That is the dumbest thing I have ever heard of, aside from yogurt in a tube. And why did you have to drag me out to the car, why not duel inside?"

"Because! I have to take you somewhere first! We can't duel _here_, too many witnesses!"

"Witnesses to what, exactly?"

"When I said 'duel', Seto Kaiba, you instantly assumed I meant with cards. Something I don't like is being yelled at and my way of solving my problems is usually to fight. Well, in this sort of fight, you can wear armor and you're in an arena. This is where I was headed to begin with. The flashy 'hot', as you call it, outfit is simply a way to let my opponents underestimate me."

"I never agreed to this! I'm getting out!"

The doors to the car locked, and Seto's eyes widened, the car began revving up, and they burst out of the parking lot, "You might want to buckle up, Kaiba-boy!"

"You're crazy!" he yelled, following her idea and buckling up.

"You don't know the half of it!"

**END OF CHAPTER FOUR**

Peggi-I do not own Enterprise, GoGurt, or any other product mentioned n this chapter. I don't own much in the world, actually. I should create my own anime, so that people will write fanfiction about it and talk about how much they wished they owned it. It will have hot guys and nifty plots, like my fanfiction.

Seto-Maybe you should inherit a fortune from some rich dead guy instead. No one will buy this worthless junk you call writing!

Peggi-I think I know where I can find a rich guy, and I bet I know how I can make him dead. . .I received an email response to this fic and I think a review as well. Yes, this fic is quite comical because putting Kaiba into this working environment is just. . .well. . .as you can see it's just simply funny! But no, Subway isn't just throwing meat and veggies onto bread. I've been burned really badly, cut, slipped, and worked long hard hours while working there. It is no easy job, believe me, so when you go to Subway and there are long lines, give the employees the benefit of the doubt. Seriously! It's not as easy as it looks! There is a LOT more to working there and they are usually understaffed because regulations are so strict!

Chinko-I'm real! Peggi can own me if she wants, but I'm real!!!

Peggi-Yesh, Chinko is my friend and actually does work at Subway. Anyhoo, wow me being psycho, don't see that every. . .wait. . .yeah, you do. Oh well. Haha my friend Chuck gave me this idea (the dueling part) and so THANK YOU CHUCK!!! He actually does this for fun so in the next chapter we get to see some action!!! lol fighting action lol it's so much fun to duel! Anyhoo. . .

Seto-Until next time, send in lovely reviews! They make Peggi love me more and want to kill me less!!!


	5. Chapter 5

Peggi: Well, I left it up to Eevee as to what was updated next, so it looks like this was it! See, no cliffhanger shall be left un. . .uh. . .anyhoo, I just want to take some time really quick to thank everyone who reviewed me so far!  
Cactus.T.T-Lol thank you for your reviews on here! They made me happy! And yes. He definitly wants to be an exotic dancer for Ryou. Actually, that would probably make me VERY happy. . .  
crystaldrops-See, I updated aren't you proud? I'm glad you like this story and your appearance will be very soon!  
Journey Maker-Updated soon enough? Hope so!  
sugarholic-. . .I'm actually working on that "niceness to electronic devices" thing. . .now if only they were nice to me. . .  
Eevee-Yes, my plot bunnies LOVE it when the plot thickens!!! And don't worry, nothing bad shall happen in the car that you ride in :) for, the plot bunnies (and your over-protective cousin) will not allow it!!!

Peggi: And now, the story!

**CHAPTER FIVE**

For the entire drive to their destination, all Seto could think about was that he was probably going to die! The drive had not been long and finally they arrived at their final destination. Not a good movie to think of at the time, either! The place looked like a big grassy field with little tents set up for shade and people dressed up in armor and fancy clothes, reminding him of some movie about medieval times.

"This is a group for Amtgard. We come here as a group to fight or cheer others on. I started coming here because I had some anger problems. They're gone now, but I still like to come."

"And _why_ am I here, exactly?" he asked, his sarcasm finally returning now that he had stepped out of the car and onto solid ground that wasn't moving at 60 mph.

"I've been sick of your attitude ever since you started working with me, and I'd thought about driving us into a tree since _your_ airbag doesn't work. But I don't think Eevee would appreciate me ruining the car that she has to ride in. Sure, it would be drivable, but it would sure as hell be funny to see your face when we plowed into something!" she relished the expression on his terrified face, "So, I decided that we should just duke it out here, perfectly legal, and safer for the both of us."

Seto didn't know what to say to her, but he could see an arena with two people in it, in one of these "duels" Peggi had mentioned earlier. They were both holding swords that had been covered in thick material, obviously so that no one would be injured seriously and they were also both wearing armor. He watched as they charged at each other, one of them receiving a hard blow to the chest, the sound of something soft clashing with the chest plate, and the person who had been hit fell hard. He decided he really didn't like this "Amtgard" thing.

Seto watched as Peggi placed an armored skirt over the one she was wearing; obviously the armor was hers and hers alone, as it fit her so well. She also placed a chest plate on herself that basically looked like a really pretty bra, if bras were made of metal and were really that big. She pointed to one of the tents that had been set up and he saw that she was showing him where he could find armor to wear.

"I really don't like the idea of doing this," he made sure she knew his feelings but she simply shrugged him off so he sighed and began walking towards the tent.

It wasn't hard to find something for him to wear, and he made sure he had almost full body armor, just in case. He returned to the spot where Peggi was waiting for him, and without a single word, she led him towards the arena. Seto's stomach was doing flips inside of him when he realized that although he was strong enough to beat her, he didn't want to hit a woman simply _because_ he knew he could hurt her. He felt that if men can be hit so can women, just like women should have the same right to have drowned on the Titanic as the men if they'd wanted, but at the same time he didn't feel that a man should ever hit a woman simply because men had an advantage with testosterone. He knew that she would win if he didn't fight back and that would leave a serious dent in his ego, but he couldn't fight back. It was a lose-lose situation.

It was almost as if she'd read his mind because she laughed a little bit at him and put her hand on his arm.

"I'm really mad at you so I think the safest way to resolve our personal problems with each other is like this. It is quicker than arguing for the rest of our lives and it's better than _really_ fighting. Just don't be all gentleman-like and _let_ me win, okay? I brought you here knowing that I might get a little bruised up, but I don't care. You can hit me all you want and use a weapon too, if you want. Just don't hold back. I'm tougher than you think. I come here often, I'm used to being tossed around by some of the stronger boys, but don't underestimate me!"

He forced a little un-Kaiba-like smile but honestly did feel better about it. He hadn't realized why she had taken him there until that point and until then he'd seen her as some crazy girl out to kill him. Now, he realized that it was like a scene in some crazy movie where the leading characters bicker until they finally find a way to solve their problems with each other, and then they are able to work together as a team for the rest of the movie. He suddenly felt much better about this "fight", and realized it wasn't really a fight at all.

He stepped onto the arena without hesitation and didn't bother to use a weapon, as Peggi had chosen not to use one. Someone standing on the side shouted "GO!" and Peggi waited, perfectly relaxed. Neither of them wanted to make the first move, so Seto decided to make it. Just to test her a little, he took a swing at her, not really expecting to hit her, and just as he thought, she easily avoided it. He was about to try again, meaning it the second time, when he felt a hard blow to his side, even through the armor, and he lost his balance. Without him even realizing it, most likely from over-confidence, she'd managed to turn her body completely around, her foot meeting his side once she was facing him again. He would have to step up a notch, which was an exciting thought for him!

He stood, prepared for her tricky moves this time, and faked a punch at her stomach. She blocked his hand, but in doing so, she opened herself up for his real plan. He grabbed her wrists, both at the same time, with his left hand and turned her around so that she was facing away from him. He pushed her forward, letting go, and kicked her lower back, sending her flying forward and onto her hand and knees.

Peggi's eyes widened in surprise as she fell to her knees, catching herself with her hands. He hadn't expected her to be so flexible or to knock him down, and so now he was actually trying. She smiled, realizing that she would just have to step up a notch, which was an exciting thought for her!

She was about to stand up but realized he was about to do something from behind her, so instead, she stayed on the arena floor and turned her whole body in one swift move, kicking her leg out and managing to hit him with her foot right in the shin. He hadn't thought to place armor on his legs, and so he felt pain shoot up his leg and he almost fell, but he caught himself and let out a little laugh. She was really good, but he was better.

He grabbed her by the leg, the one she'd kicked him with, and pushed it upward, causing her to completely flip over. That was something he'd seen in the movies but because she was so small compared to him, he figured it would make an excellent move. It must've looked really cool to the people standing around the arena watching, because they all began cheering. They already had a large crowd around them, even more than the people in the last match, and most of them knew who Peggi was. They were cheering her on, but then Seto heard someone ask him for his name.

"Seto Kaiba!" he yelled out to the person, placing his foot on Peggi's back so that she couldn't get up.

Some of the members in the crowd began cheering for Seto and this boosted his confidence. He had gained a lot of fans while playing Duel Monsters, always hearing people cheer him on in duels, but never in _this_ sort of duel.

He had loved to wrestle with Mokuba when they were younger, but he'd never had the opportunity to have some sort of a play fight with anyone else before. The feeling was wonderful and although he still felt a bit bad for hitting a girl, he figured that if she was giving it her all and didn't mind it when she was hurt as long as it was for fun, then he would give it _his_ all too.

Seto was so lost in thought that he didn't even realize Peggi's plan of escape. She elbowed him right on the back of his knee, causing him to stumble forward and fall flat on his face. Now, he was a little irritated. He wasn't about to lose without a real fight.

"Hey Peggi, is this an anything-goes match?"

"Yes, what do you have in mind?" she replied as he stood up.

"Since neither of us is using weapons, we should just fight. Fight like we mean it."

She nodded, and it was on! They were facing each other and both began at the same time. The first thing he went for was her face, aiming his fist for her cheek and the first thing she went for were his legs. She was wearing far less armor than he was, and so he figured she'd be more vulnerable but she figured that more armor would slow him down. They both had one advantage or another over each other, and both of them were now putting everything they had into the match.

People were cheering for one or the other, screaming each of their names in a chant and encouraging them both on. Some were even telling them what to do to get their opponent to fall.

From the two fights Seto had seen on the arena floor, the objective was for one of the fighters to surrender or for one of them to fall off of the arena. It was only about two feet off of the ground so it wouldn't hurt if one of them fell, but it still wouldn't be pleasant!

Seto had been hit several times on his legs but it hurt even worse when she would hit him in the chest. The armor absorbed most of the hit, but for a girl, she hit pretty hard!

Finally, the match was over, when they began what looked like aggressive hugging, both of them holding the other with their elbows around their throats. They both fell off of the arena at the same time, not even realizing that they were so close to the edge in the heat of the battle.

Their little audience moved out of the way as they came tumbling down, next to each other, and they both rolled over onto their backs, laughing wildly. Their fans went over to them, congratulating them on a job well done and a few people made sure that they weren't hurt. Seto was the first to sit up, a little dizzy from the fall and from laughing, possibly for the first time since he was a small child, and then Peggi sat up too. Two of the boys who had been watching offered their hands to them and helped the two up, both still laughing. After a few more minutes of people raving to them about how cool and funny the fight had been, Peggi led Seto back to the place where they could lose the armor. Once they were both wearing only what they'd come in, Peggi looked to Seto.

"Do you want to look around for a while? There's food and games and just some pretty cool stuff to look at," she offered.

"Sure!" he smiled, _yes_ smiled, and then his smile faded away very quickly, "Wow, I didn't realize how beat up you looked!"

He noticed that he'd somehow managed to bruise her side and it was already darkening, right next to a cut that had probably come from falling off of the arena. Her bottom lip was busted open and just barely starting to stop bleeding, and she had a few grass stains on her arm from the fall. He felt bad for hurting her, but guilt turned into confusion when she giggled a little bit.

"I _told_ you, don't worry about hurting me! I do this all the time and get beat up a lot for it. Besides, you probably have some bruises on your legs from me kicking you."

He let out a nervous laugh, still feeling a bit upset, but realizing that it was all in good fun. They looked around the Amtgard field for about an hour, picking up some barbeque ribs and eating them while walking around. They were both covered in barbeque sauce and ended up in another giggling fit when they looked at each other's faces. After eating and then getting cleaned up from the messy food, they walked by the water and just as they were about to go find something else to do, Peggi lost her balance and began falling into the water. If she had _just_ lost her balance that would be _one_ thing, but that was not the case. She had been _pushed_! Instead of going down by herself, she grabbed Seto, the person who had pushed her in the first place, and dragged him into the pond right along side of her.

Soaking wet and in another laughing fit, they sat there for a few seconds, not even caring that people were now walking over. A few boys about their age began splashing at each other and another girl fell in after someone had gently pushed her in.

Finally Seto and Peggi had had enough water fun and began heading to another part of the field when suddenly Seto gasped and his hands flew to his mouth. Peggi turned to him, concern on her face, and Seto grabbed her by her shoulders.

"What time is it?!" he asked frantically.

"A little after four, unless the water killed my watch!" she laughed, wondering why it was so important that he know the time.

"Oh no! I'm late!"

"Late?" Peggi asked, talking to no one, as Seto had already begun racing for the car, not even waiting for Peggi to follow.

**END OF CHAPTER FIVE**

Seto: Another cliffhanger?

Peggi: But the plot bunnies demanded it! It keeps my readers wanting more!

Plot Bunnies: (nod nod)

Eevee: BUT-

Peggi: No. It is the way of the bunnies. And the bunnies are what controls the world. So, reviews are loved. No reviews, no new chapters. No new chapters, I get bored and burn Kaiba at the stake.

Seto: SHE'S NOT KIDDING! PLEASE, REVIEW AND SAVE ME!

Peggi: (hands him a wad of cash) Good boy. Now, please review so I can be happy!


	6. Chapter 6

Peggi: Yay, long chapters, fairly frequent updates. It's almost a dream come true!

Seto: Yeah, sure. It means I have to actually show up and pretend to care about this stupid crap you call fanficton.

Peggi: Hey! At least your fans like it! Doesn't that count for at least SOMETHING?!

Seto: No, not really.

Peggi: Whatever, then. I can always kill you off. . .

Seto: O.O No, no, that's okay. I like this story JUST the way it is!

Peggi: Good. R&R please! And there is still a little bit of time to be in the story, if you act fast!

**CHAPTER SIX**

Peggi followed Seto to the car, not sure what was wrong but assuming that he had missed something important. He was impatiently waiting at the car, tapping his foot with his arms crossed when she made it to where he was standing. She pulled her keys out of her pocket and unlocked his door for him, walking around the front of the car to unlock her own door.

"Are you going to tell me what you're late for?"

"I needed to be at my little brother's school to pick him up! He is supposed to wait for me, and today he didn't have any after school activities so he's been waiting for nearly two hours! It's going to take forever to get there!" he was so frustrated that he had difficulty buckling himself in.

"Chill, I'll get us there really fast!" Peggi assured him, turning the key in the ignition.

The car roared to life and Seto realized that the speed demon was about to rush them to get Mokuba, "You don't have to go so fast!" he wanted to get there as soon as possible but not at the cost of his own life!

Peggi shrugged and slowed down to a safer-yet-still-speeding speed and started heading in the general direction of Subway but then had a better idea.

"How about I go pick your brother up right now instead of stopping at Subway, and then I'll drive both of you there so you can grab your car? That way you'll get to him a lot faster and you won't have to double back."

Seto thought about that for a moment and then agreed that it was a good idea, "Whatever."

Seto heard Peggi mumble something under her breath at his near dismissal of what she had suggested but didn't feel the need to apologize. It _was_ her fault that he was late! If it hadn't been for her and. . .oh, who was he kidding? He'd had a blast!

"Which school is he going to right now?" Peggi asked Seto.

" Chesapeake middle school," he replied, trying to sound a bit less angry and upset this time.

It didn't take them long at all, and they'd finally reached the school. Mokuba was no where to be seen and so Peggi parked in one of the vacant spots in front of the school. Peggi followed Seto, looking around the campus and remembering how things looked when she'd gone to middle school. This new school looked similar to her high school, and she could never remember having so many open spaces when _she_ was still in grade school! Peggi waited outside of the office while Seto went in to ask if anyone had seen him.

Seto walked out, a worried look on his face.

"Something the matter?" she asked him.

"They said no one has been in the building since school let out," Seto was really worried about his brother.

Mokuba knew to always wait for his big brother, even if he was late to pick him up for something. He also knew that he shouldn't accept rides from strangers. This really wasn't like him, and suddenly it occurred to Seto that he might be on the playground out back. He led Peggi around the other side of the building and there they found him. A group of older boys was there as well, and they seemed to be picking on him. Seto could clearly see that the boys didn't belong there; they had to have been in high school by the looks of them, and this was on middle school grounds. One of the boys had Mokuba's coat and wouldn't hand it back to him. They were teasing him and that was all Seto needed to see in order to kick their sorry little butts!

"GET THE HELL AWAY FROM MY BROTHER!" Seto ordered, walking briskly up to the scene.

The boys weren't intimidated at all and stood their ground, now looking at their new target.

"Oooh so the kid can't take care of himself?" one of the boys laughed, throwing the coat at Mokuba and shoving him to the ground.

The boy who had been holding the jacket was the first to receive a fist to the side of his face. He fell hard, the other four boys deciding to tag team to gain an unfair advantage. It didn't take much effort at all and Seto had all four of them lying on the ground, twitching in pain. The first boy decided to be smart about it and tried to run away, leaving his buddies behind, but before leaving he kicked dirt into Mokuba's face. The boy turned, ready to make his great escape, and ended up running right into another fist. This time, his nose began to bleed.

"Thanks," Seto said gratefully to Peggi, who had been the one to hit the boy after kicking dirt into his brother's face.

Mokuba was crying, wiping the dirt out of his eyes while Seto was brushing the dirt off of his coat.

"Why were you so late?!" Mokuba yelled through his tears, sniffled a few times, and then got a good look at his brother, "Did someone try to drown you?"

Mokuba was suddenly through crying, and Seto looked down at his clothes. He really did look like someone had tried drowning him!

"I'm sorry, Mokuba. I was out and I lost track of time. I guess time really does fly when you're having fun," he thought about that expression for a minute.

"Fun? C'mon big brother, where were you?" Mokuba wanted a _real_ answer!

"He's telling the truth," Peggi began, "sorry little guy. It's my fault he was late. I took him to a place I like to hang out and we started walking around and laughing and joking around, and before we both knew it, it was time for him to come and get you."

Mokuba wasn't sure if he should listen to her or not, but he really had no other explanation as to why they both looked like they'd been to a dunking booth as the person on the platform _or_ why his brother would've been so late to get him. He noticed something odd about Seto as well. His brother had an expression that Mokuba had never seen before. Usually he wore a cold stare, but it looked like the coldness had worn off and his face had softened. Mokuba was used to seeing his brother look like this when it was just the two of them, but never around anyone else. He decided that they were telling the truth.

"Well I wanna go home! I'm all covered in dirt!" Mokuba whined.

"Okay, sounds good," Peggi smiled.

Mokuba ran up to her and grabbed her hand as the three of them walked back to the car. Seto walked behind them a bit and smiled at his little brother's reaction to the first real friend he'd ever had. As long as Mokuba liked her, maybe she and her little band of weirdoes could stick around.

The drive back to Subway consisted of Mokuba chattering on and on about his day. He talked about his teachers, some of the weird people he thought would make good friends, his class work, even what he had for lunch that day! Peggi laughed along with Mokuba whenever he would mention an event that she, too, had experienced in school and the conversation had mostly turned from talking about his day to the both of them, to talking to Peggi and _only_ Peggi. Seto didn't mind; it meant he wouldn't have to listen to his hyperactive brother talk about things that made him feel he needed to look for the Advil.

Once they reached the restaurant, Peggi noticed that Tex's car was gone; he and Eevee must've already left by that point. Seto's rental car was sitting in the parking lot and Peggi pulled into the spot right next to it. She left the ignition running while Seto and Mokuba unhooked their safety belts and started to get out of the car.

"Can we ride with _her_ from now on, big brother?" Mokuba pleaded, "I like her! She's fun!"

Seto rolled his eyes and ruffled his brother's hair a bit, "She has a life too, Mokie." He replied.

"Actually," Peggi began, "I really wouldn't mind. Until you get your car fixed, it would be a lot cheaper if you just carpooled with someone. Sometimes the rest of us do the same thing when one of us can't afford gas or something. It's no problem."

"I'll think about it," was all Seto could say before pulling his brother towards their car.

Before he managed to really get anywhere, Peggi called him back to the car, "Hey, you want your uniform?" she asked.

"Oh, right," he grabbed it from her hand through the rolled down window.

"If you change your mind, here is my phone number," Peggi said, handing him a piece of paper she had scribbled her phone number on.

Before Seto could grab it and throw the piece of paper away, Mokuba grabbed it from her hand.

"It was nice meeting you, Mokuba!" she said as the boys walked away.

Mokuba smiled at her through the window as she rolled it up and she gave a little wave to acknowledge his gesture. She drove off before they were even in the car, and Mokuba watched as she drove off.

"Why were you two hanging out?" Seto could tell from Mokuba's tone that he was trying to start something he wouldn't be able to finish, "Is she your _giiiirlfriend_?"

Mokuba loved teasing his older brother, but Seto didn't quite appreciate it. He put the key into the ignition and turned the engine on. He didn't even bother to answer his brother's silly question, since Mokuba should know by now that such things would never be true, but he did feel that Mokuba should know what was _really_ going on in his head.

"Mokuba, when we get home, I would like to speak with you about something."

Fear crossed Mokuba's face when he realized his brother was probably angry with him for joking around. The drive home seemed extra long, just like that long walk to the principal's office or to detention. No words were exchanged between the brothers during the ride, but Mokuba knew that his brother was lost in thought.

Once they were inside of the small apartment, Seto sat down on the couch and patted the cushion next to him, telling his little brother to sit down. Mokuba followed his brother's wishes and sat down.

"Mokuba, I would like you to know that I am trying very hard to give you the best life that I can. I know that right now things aren't looking up for us, but I am hopeful that things will get better very soon," Seto began the conversation.

"I dunno. I actually kinda like this. Sometimes I want things I can't have but now no one makes fun of me and I have a lot more friends now."

Seto was glad that Mokuba was adjusting but he would still make an effort to get them back into the position they had been in before. Seto tried to think of a way to explain to him who Peggi was and why he would be seeing a lot of her.

"Well, I'm glad that you don't mind living like this, but I, on the other hand, don't. That girl, Peggi, is one of the girls I am working with. I know that you are not used to me bringing friends home, or even having friends, but I think that keeping her around might serve some importance."

Mokuba frowned, "Seto, why do you always have to _use_ everybody! I like her! She was nice to me! And I thought you said you had _fun_ with her! You never use that word, not _ever_ unless you're taking over someone else's company! I like seeing you smile, big brother! Don't make her leave!"

Seto didn't understand the look on his brother's face until Mokuba stood and walked away. A door slammed shortly after, and he finally realized what had just happened. His brother actually liked this person and it hurt Seto to think about that. He had never introduced anyone to his little brother as a _friend_, and half of the people Mokuba had met through Seto were playmates, only there so that Seto could strike a deal with their family. Seto had never had friends of his own because he'd always been too busy with work and when he wasn't working all he could talk about was work, and when he wasn't doing that, he was getting in his few hours of sleep before having to wake up and do it all over again the next day. He had been on tight schedules and never able to do anything relaxing. This was really the first day he'd actually been able to enjoy himself, and even if he didn't want to admit it, even _he_ knew that he had enjoyed it!

Peggi walked through the door to her house, the first thing to catch her stare was the couch in the living room. Eevee and Shiryu were sitting in the chair, an odd expression on both their faces, and Peggi knew that they had probably been making out right before she'd walked in. She made a note to pretend that neither of them were sitting there, because the thought of _any_ boy kissing her younger cousin gave her shivers and twitches because she was so protective of her and wished she could shelter her from the world. Sadly, that was not the way the world worked, so she simply tried to pretend that Eevee was still 10 years old and thought boys had cooties, and Shiryu was. . .well she tried _not_ to think of Shiryu as anything but a friend to Eevee.

"Hi Peg, guess you beat him up and then went on to Amtgard?" Eevee inquired.

"Actually I took Seto _with_ me to Amtgard. I decided that paying him back for making me mad worked best if I didn't mess up the car in any way, and I figured that taking him to one of the matches in the arena would be good for the both of us."

Shiryu laughed a little bit, "Looks like he tried having the match in the pond!"

Peggi looked down at her skirt and top and laughed as well, as they looked a bit damp still, "Yeah. We really did have a lot of fun believe it or not. I think we might just survive working together if things keep going this well."

Eevee smiled, pleased. Nick walked into the room, yelling at his sister.

"Aren't you two done kissing yet?! I want to play-" he stopped when he realized that Peggi was home.

Peggi made a grossed out face and whacked Nick on the back of the head for ruining her perfect fantasy of an Eevee who still thought boys had cooties.

In the apartment, Seto laid down on the couch and thought about his day and actually looked forward to going to work the next day, but wasn't even sure why. If Mokuba could give this life a chance, then why couldn't he? It was like a challenge, and if anyone like challenges, it was Seto Kaiba!

**END OF CHAPTER SIX**

I would like to take this time to thank all new reviewers since the last chapter!

Eevee-A good Alice in Wonderland reference is always good, indeed! The plot bunnies are never satisfied! Peeps are a nice way of getting them to do their work, but they still can't resist a good cliffhanger! Be thankful that a nice mixture of peeps and some things from the stash get them to forget about leaving cliffhangers! Fangirl squeals are always a nice thing, so I figured a good fight scene would get a few! Couldn't beat him up, of course, because then the fangirls might be angry, and if I lost, the fangirls might be angry, so I decided a nice tie would be good )

journey maker-You deserve a cookie! You knew exactly why he was late! Yup, both of them have bad tempers, and having activities to help with those problems are definitly good! As to the comment of having everything and then losing it, well, I can put myself in his shoes in a way because something similar happened to me (not to that extent, of course, I'm just not spoiled anymore lol) so I can definitly say that what he's going through is shellshock but at least now he's starting to really _live_! Friends solve _everything_, and now Seto has a chance to figure that out!

To the random emailer, yes, Amtgard is a real thing. It really is a lot like what I described in the last chapter, except the meetings are only held a few times a year. There are huge feasts and people dress up in fancy dresses and armor, they have fights with (safe) weapons and there are Amtgard groups all over the US. To anyone interested let me know and I can get you in touch with someone who can find a group near you!


	7. Chapter 7

Peggi: The plot bunnies are working overtime! I think they deserve extra reviews for dessert!

Mokuba: I like this chapter!

Seto:. . .I hate it. . .it makes me seem all. . .NORMAL and NOT rich!

Peggi: Well then, I'm doing my job as an authoress! I love having characters who share my nickname and personality. So many possibilities! This is more comical than anything else, so I hope everyone enjoys it! Subway chapters SHALL return! Oh, the plans the plot bunnies and I have for that restaurant! Well, R&R!

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

The next morning, Seto woke up and prepared himself for the day ahead, wearing a sweater since it had been a bit chilly the day before and deciding to make something for breakfast. Mokuba usually woke up on his own, but today, he'd slept in. Seto had to wake him up.

Peggi grumbled as her alarm clock woke her up. She seemed a bit more sleepy than usual this morning and didn't feel like pulling herself out of bed. She slammed her fist down on the alarm clock, but it continued to ring. She grabbed it in her hand and slammed it on the table a few times, and again, it rang.

"Peg, wrong piece of technology," Eevee mumbled, handing her the telephone from her side of the bed.

It took a few minutes to register in Peggi's brain, and then she answered the phone.

"Hello?" she answered, angry that someone had woken her up a whole forty-five minutes before she needed to be up, _and_ made her needlessly kill an innocent alarm clock.

"Mokuba is _dying_!" came Seto's voice from the other end.

Peggi was suddenly awake, "What happened?"

"This morning he wouldn't get out of bed! He said his throat hurt and I felt his forehead and he felt really warm! I think my brother is going to die!"

Seto sounded frantic, "Okay, I'll be over there in a minute. What's your address?"

After hanging up, Peggi nudged her cousin, "Hey, Mokuba has a cold or something and Seto is convinced he's dying. I'm gonna go over there and take care of him. Chances are, if I leave things to Mr. Ex-rich boy, he _will_ die. Call someone in for the both of us for work today, we're calling out."

Eevee mumbled something and placed a pillow over her head, trying to fall back asleep. Peggi just rolled her eyes and began getting ready so that she could go rescue Mokuba from the clutches of his brother who apparently knew really nothing about living like a normal person.

Seto nearly fell when he jumped at the door to open it as the doorbell rang. The bell hadn't even finished chiming by the time he'd pulled Peggi inside.

"He's this way!" Seto said, dragging Peggi towards the back of the apartment, no 'hello' or anything.

Peggi entered the room that Mokuba was in, hearing him sniffling. She walked over to him and instantly knew that he had a cold.

"I'm going to run to the store and grab a few things. He just has a cold so there's no real need to worry. Haven't you guys ever been sick before?" she looked to Seto, curiously.

"I never allowed any employees to come around us with their _diseases_," he responded.

Peggi simply rolled her eyes, "He must've caught it at school."

She left the apartment and walked down the street to the convenience store. Seto waited with his brother, worrying that Peggi was just trying to make him feel better about his little brother's condition. He forced himself to eat a bowl of cereal and shortly after he finished, he heard a knock on the door. He opened it and Peggi walked back inside, two brown paper bags in her arms.

"What's all of that?" he asked, wondering what could possibly be that big that she'd need for a cold.

"Ingredients for chicken soup, cold medicine, cough drops, apple juice, orange juice and I rented some movies he can watch on my portable DVD player."

Seto blinked a few times and then nodded, leaving the rest of his brother's care up to her, since it was apparent that she knew what she was doing. He watched as Peggi unpacked the paper bags and carefully read the instructions on the cold medicine. She opened up their refrigerator and looked around for a moment, pulling out a jar of strawberry jelly and then looked to Seto.

"Where do you keep the spoons?" she asked, opening the jar of jelly.

"Over here," Seto walked over to the sink and opened the drawer next to it, pulling out a spoon.

"I'll need two," she said, "since cold medicine tastes so bad, it makes it a little easier if you have something sweet to eat after you take it," she showed the jelly jar to him.

That made sense and he suddenly realized that she knew an awful lot about taking care of people when they were sick. It was probably because she'd been sick herself so many times, but she also seemed to be really good with kids. He smiled inwardly, knowing that this would be perfect. He'd been a bit concerned about how Mokuba would react to his older brother having friends after so many years of solitude, but so far so good.

Peggi walked into Mokuba's bedroom with the medicine, the jelly and both spoons and Seto followed her to see how this was done.

"Hey sweetie. I have something here for you that will make you feel a lot better but it doesn't taste too good so I'm going to have you take it and then give you a spoon full of strawberry jelly right after, okay?"

Mokuba nodded and sniffled a few times, "What's it for?" he asked, his nose stuffed up and his voice sounding weak.

"Well, it'll help get rid of that fever you have and help you breathe better too. It might even help you stop coughing. I just want to let you know right now, it'll probably make you feel a little sleepy, okay? So if you want to take a nap that's fine. Whenever you wake up you can just let me know and I'll make you something to eat."

Mokuba smiled and nodded, knowing that it was for the best, and took the spoon of liquid Peggi was handing him.

"Drink it _really_ fast and try not to let it touch your tongue. That way it won't taste as bad," she told him.

He listened to her and did as she said. She was right; the medicine tasted awful! He almost wanted to gag, but she handed him the second spoon filled with a big gob of jelly on it and he put it in his mouth. The sugary fruity flavor instantly took away from the horrible medicine taste and he felt much better.

After Mokuba had taken his medicine, Peggi tucked him in and left the room, closing the door half-way behind her. Seto was standing outside of the doorway and Peggi almost bumped into him. She gave him a questioning look and walked back down the hallway towards the kitchen. Seto stood at Mokuba's doorway and watched through the crack in the door as his little brother began playing a game on his game boy advanced, and then after a short while Seto decided to go check and see what Peggi was doing.

He walked into the kitchen and saw her cutting long sprigs of celery into tiny pieces. There was a pot on the stove filled with something and he walked over to see what it was.

"What's that?" he pointed to the pot.

"That's just water and chicken broth. I've got pre-cooked chicken pieces that I'm going to add to it but I want to make sure they're thoroughly cooked, so they're in the microwave. Haven't you ever made soup before?" she eyed him strangely.

"No, I always had chefs who did this sort of thing _for_ me."

He walked over to her side and observed the way she cut the celery. She was cutting it into fine little 'u' shapes, and she was cutting them very quickly!

"Want to learn?" she asked him, and he just nodded, "Okay, first you have to wash your hands. It's just like at work."

He did as he was told and looked into the pot of water. It looked really murky and assumed that the broth was why it wasn't clear. After he'd finished washing his hands he dried them off and walked back to Peggi. She handed him the knife.

"All you have to do is cut slices off of the piece of celery. Don't try to cut it as fast as I was because you're not good at it yet. I've been doing this for a long time so I'm a lot faster."

He began cutting the celery and it was very easy. He tried to make each slice look just like hers, and he watched as she cleaned off another piece of celery for him to cut. Soon, he was finished with both sticks of celery and was ready for the next part. Peggi was happy to see him finally wanting to learn how to do something _normal_ and so even though it was driving her crazy to watch how slow he was going, she didn't stop him or say anything negative. She tried not to giggle every time he looked to her for approval. It was like teaching a little kid something new; seeing the excitement when they finally got the hang of it and their constant glances to make sure that they were doing it right. It was almost. . .cute.

Peggi searched through the drawer that had the silverware in it and couldn't find what she was looking for, so she thought for a moment, and then reached for the knife Seto was still holding.

"For the carrots, you need to take the skin off. You don't have one of those little skinner knives, so this will have to do. We'll improvise." (A/N: . . .I really don't remember what those are called. . .)

"Skin?" he questioned, watching her scrape the carrots.

She showed him how it was done, completely finishing the first carrot in an attempt to move things along as well as make sure he saw how it was done. She threw the carrot skin scrapings into the trash bin and then handed the knife and the second carrot to Seto.

He took both and began to scrape the carrot, but he was taking off more than he was supposed to.

"No, no, hold the knife like this," Peggi explained.

She reached over and grabbed his wrist, slightly turning it so that the knife barely grazed the carrot and he would only take off a very thin layer.

"Oh," Seto looked up to thank her, and their eyes met for a brief moment but he quickly looked back down.

After the carrots were completely skinned, they were cut into little cubes, the pieces of chicken were cut into little cubes and placed into the pot of boiling water and broth mixture, and an array of herbs was on the counter, ready to be sprinkled into the pot. While the chicken was cooking in the pot, there wasn't much else to do aside from wait. They stood there, leaning against the wall, and Peggi decided that she was very bored.

"Do you have anything fun to do around here?" she asked, bored.

"Well, we have Mokuba's Xbox 360. I don't know if you like video games but we have plenty of them."

Peggi thought for a minute, "Xbox 360, eh? Do you have Dead or Alive 4?"

Seto smirked. His favorite game, and one that he was _very_ good at.

Moments later, they had already picked their characters and their outfits and they were in a fight. Seto had picked Kasumi and Peggi had decided to use her good luck charm, Christie. Seto didn't have many chances to play video games, but occasionally Mokuba wouldn't leave him alone until they played a few, so although he was very good, he could probably be better if he had more time to play. Without a big company to run, he would probably have a lot more time for things like this. Peggi never had much of an opportunity for games like these either. Work, competitions and having to be a grown up when you're really not can take time out from things like these. Tex used to play video games like these with her often, but she started to get really good at them and the fun was gone, because she would always win.

Peggi squealed, trying not to be too loud, as the muted screen showed the big letters 'KO', and her character taunted Seto's. Peggi had won the first round and now it was time for round two.

"You just got lucky so stop showing off!" he laughed at her.

Several rounds later, Peggi had won 6 out of 10, and Seto was becoming frustrated. They were in their eleventh game and he was winning. He was excited to be beating her by so much life, but when he looked over at her hands on the controller, he noticed that she wasn't even trying.

"Hey! Stop that!" he shoved her into the pillows on the side of the couch.

"Stop what! You're the one who keeps cornering me!" she shoved him back and he paused the game.

"You're not even trying! That's no fun, you're just letting me win!"

"Well, if I keep winning you'll give up! You can't beat me if I actually _try_, so I'm just trying to help you win a few rounds!"

Mokuba had been sleeping for quite some time. He smelled something really good, and decided to get out of bed to see what was being cooked. He slowly made his way down the hallway, still a little drowsy from the medicine, and noticed that the TV was on and a video game was paused. He walked into the living room but ducked back into the hallway, and slowly snuck back out, hiding behind the lamp that was beside the couch.

Mokuba really wasn't sure what to do. He decided to sit back and considered getting his camera for future blackmailing use, but thought better of it. His brother was on the couch with Peggi, leaning over her and they were _kissing_. Mokuba was slightly grossed out by this, but pushing aside the thought of it being his big brother who was in front of him, he thought it was kinda cute.

Then, when he saw hands going places they shouldn't be going, he decided to break things up.

"Eww Seto! Girls have _cooties_!" Mokuba yelled, jumping on top of the two.

Peggi fell over, Seto fell on top of her, and Mokuba fell on top of Seto. They were in one big pile on the floor, all three of them giggling.

"Yes, girls are filled with cooties," Peggi smirked at Mokuba, "but we also know how to make little boys giggle like little girls!"

She grabbed Mokuba and pinned him to the floor, tickling him. His fever was gone and he was apparently feeling a lot better. He began shrieking with laughter and trying to get away, but Peggi was a lot bigger than he was and she used that to her advantage. Finally, she decided that she'd made him sound enough like a little girl and she let him sit back up.

"Did we wake you up?" Seto asked, once the laughter had died down.

"No, I smell something good!" Mokuba smiled widely.

"Well the noodles should be ready so I'll go get you a bowl of soup then. Do you want any?" she asked Seto and he nodded.

She walked into the kitchen and began serving three bowls of the homemade chicken noodle soup.

In the living room, Mokuba was poking Seto in the side, "Haha you kissed a _gi-irl_!"

Seto blinked a few times and smiled, "Would you rather me kiss a boy?"

Mokuba wrinkled up his nose and smiled, "No. I'm just glad to see you smiling again! I miss you smiling! You don't do that anymore. Not since we left the orphanage. So, now that you had your first kiss does that mean that you two are getting _married_? Like in the movies?"

Seto just laughed, "It doesn't work that way in reality, Mokuba. Why, do you _want_ me to get married? And have a bunch of little brats just like you running around, taking your toys?"

Mokuba's eyes widened and he shook his head.

"Here ya go!" Peggi handed them both a bowl of soup and balanced another for herself.

Mokuba was thrilled to finally have someone else to talk to, to have his brother smiling again, and to have his first bowl of _real_ soup

**END OF CHAPTER SEVEN**

Seto: GROSS!

Peggi: (glare) What's so gross about it?!

Seto:. . .YOU!!!

Peggi: (sweatdrop) You know, this IS just a fanfic, right? And that Peggi isn't REALLY me. . .

Seto: (sweatdrop) That's not the point.

Mokuba: (squealing) It's so cute!

Peggi: Thank you Mokuba! (mumbles) At least _someone _appreciates me. Anyhoo, send in lovely reviews and I shall update soon, I hope!


	8. Chapter 8

Peggi: Nothing _too_ eventful here, just some humor and Seto (gasp) thinking?!

Seto: What's that supposed to _mean_, exactly?

Peggi:. . .Oh, and Seto looks even hotter than usual!

Seto: I'm always 'hot'!

Mokuba: But this is _different_!

Seto: Peggi, you're a very bad influence on my little brother! He knows what 'hot' is, and he's willing to use it!

Peggi: (smirk) I don't own Disturbia, but that movie ish AWSOME! READ AND REVIEW!!!

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

It was late at night and Mokuba was finally starting to feel a little bit better. Peggi had told him that he wouldn't feel completely normal for at least a couple of days, but each day he would feel a little bit better than the last. Peggi had let Mokuba use her portable DVD player for a few hours, but he decided he wanted to watch a movie with his brother too, so they'd put a DVD into the TV and were all sitting on the couch. Mokuba had squeezed his way between the two teenagers with a big bowl of popcorn and a bag of cough drops, and Mokuba decided to watch something scary. He put in the movie Disturbia and they began to watch.

The movie started off with comedy and they all three laughed, and Mokuba nearly began to cry when something tragic happened around the beginning. Halfway through the movie, dramatic music began to play. They all knew something bad was about to happen, but they weren't sure what it was. They all sat there, eyes glued to the TV, when all of a sudden, Peggi's cell phone rang. All three of them jumped and Mokuba let go of the popcorn from being startled. They all tried to laugh it off, but laughed nervously, none of them wanting to admit that it had really scared them. Peggi answered her phone, walking out of the room so that she wouldn't interrupt the movie.

"Hello?" she answered, still a little giddy after being startled.

"Peg?" Eevee questioned, wondering why her cousin sounded so startled.

"Oh, hey Eev. What's up?"

"Nothing, just wanted to check up on things. How is Mokuba? And are you okay? You sound. . .funny."

"Well," Peggi laughed, "Mokuba just has a little cold. He's feeling a lot better, though, and right now we're watching a movie. You just startled me because it was getting to a scary part when my phone began to ring."

Eevee laughed a little bit, "Oh, okay. Do you know when you'll be home?"

"No, but I have my key so it's ok if you wanted to go to bed. I might be in a little bit late."

There was silence on the other end, and Peggi wondered if Eevee was still there.

"Eevee?"

"Yeah, just wondering if you and Kaiba tried killing each other yet," Eevee sounded a bit concerned.

"No, actually. Things are going, uh, fine!" Peggi hoped Eevee could hear her smile on the other end.

". . .Which leads me to the question. . .are you two _behaving_?"

Peggi could practically hear Eevee smirk through the phone at her.

"Well, are they going out yet?!" Peggi heard Shiryu whisper to Eevee on the other end of the phone.

"I can hear you, Shiryu!" Peggi yelled, loudly enough for him to hear her through the phone, "Eev, you know me better. Boys are gross and have cooties, it's like I've been telling you all along."

"Uh-huh. Just remember, always use protection!" Eevee burst out laughing.

Peggi could hear Nick, Tex and Shiryu in the background, laughing, and Eevee was desperately trying to hold in her laughter. Peggi tried very hard not to laugh along with them.

"Yes, Eev," Peggi laughed finally, giving in.

"Okay, well I'll let you get back to your movie now. _Please_ don't kill each other!"

"Sure thing!" Peggi assured her.

Once they were off of the phone with each other, Peggi walked back into the living room. Mokuba and Seto were holding each other, eyes still glued to the TV. She just laughed a little bit at the sight and sat back down next to Mokuba. None of them ever made it to the end of the movie.

The next morning, Seto was the first to wake up. He stretched and then looked down at the foot draped across his leg. Mokuba was stretched out across the entire length of the couch. Peggi was curled up in the corner, and Mokuba was using her shoulder as a pillow. Apparently they'd all fallen asleep on the couch while watching the movie. Seto didn't have work that day, but he wasn't sure about Peggi. He nudged her a few times, hoping it would wake her up. She didn't so much as move.

"Peggi?" he called out to her, hoping it would wake her up.

Again, she didn't move. He was just about to try shaking her when her cell phone rang. She mumbled something, half awake, and reached around for the phone.

"Yes?" she answered, her eyes still closed.

"Peggi? You _did_ remember to do what I told you, didn't you?" Eevee mocked her.

"Eev? Where are you?" Peggi asked, wondering why on earth her cousin would be calling her.

"I'm at work!" Eevee laughed.

"How did you get up without me knowing it?" Peggi was still only half awake.

"Peg, you never came home last night. It's a brand new day!" Eevee said happily.

Peggi's eyes shot open and she suddenly realized that she was _not_ at home and she was _not_ in her own bed. Seto sat on the other end of the couch, a look of confusion on his face, and Mokuba was still laying on her as though she were a pillow.

"Eev! I'm so sorry! I must've fallen asleep during the movie! I just need to go home and-"

"Don't worry about it. Tex stayed over last night just in case. I had a feeling I wouldn't be seeing you this morning, so I asked him to cover for you. After a few smirks and interesting comments about _why_ you wouldn't be home, he agreed. You don't even have to come in today. Just don't forget to come _home_ this time," Eevee laughed again.

"Thanks, you're a life saver!"

That was the end of their conversation, and Peggi sat up.

"Just woke up too?" she asked, holding back a smile that crept slowly over her face until it was more than apparent that it was there.

"Yes, why?" Seto asked her, wondering what was so funny.

"Because. It looks like you have a Kuriboh on your head!" she laughed out loud.

Seto tried to push his hair down, but cheap shampoo will do that to you in the morning. It was no use.

"Well why is _your_ hair so perfect!" he glared, jealous that her hair looked perfectly normal and curious as to what she was using in it.

"I'm _always_ perfect," she laughed, "it's just how my hair works. I don't control it. It has a mind of its own. You should see it right after it's been washed. I look like a big gigantic poof ball!"

Mokuba finally stirred awake and rubbed the sleep from his eyes, "Is it time for school?" he asked, hoarsely.

"You're staying home one more day," Peggi told him, "just to make sure you're all better!"

Seto stretched once more and stood, "I'm going to take a shower, so do you think you can fix Mokuba some breakfast?"

Peggi nodded and Seto left the room. Peggi, too, stretched and stood, feeling a little dizzy from standing up too fast, and then helped Mokuba to his feet. Mokuba didn't have his fever anymore, but he was still very congested and couldn't stop coughing, so Peggi gave him another spoonful of the cold medicine and some strawberry jelly to eat afterwards. She decided to make something easy for him to eat, since his throat was really sore, and eggs seemed easy enough.

"How do you like your eggs, Mokuba?"

He thought for a minute and then decided, "Scrambled!"

Mokuba yawned and Peggi searched for the eggs and once she found them, she pulled out the eggs and some milk. Mokuba pulled a chair over to the kitchen doorway to watch how this was done, and he watched in fascination as she cracked two eggs and began to mix a tiny bit of milk with them, mixing it all together with a fork and finally ending in a light yellow liquid. She had put a pan on the stove and was melting some butter in it, and then poured the eggs into the pan. Instantly, Mokuba could smell the eggs cooking and it made him realize just how hungry he was! It didn't take long at all, and the eggs were ready. Peggi had also made him some toast and handed him a plate of eggs with ketchup and toast with butter.

The food looked so delicious that he didn't even wait to thank her before stuffing some of the eggs into his mouth, and then tried to say 'thank you' with a mouthful of the eggs! She also handed him a glass of apple juice and then waited until he'd taken a few bites.

"So, what do you think your brother would want?" she asked him, giving him time to chew and swallow enough to keep him satisfied for a few seconds.

"Umm I don't know," Mokuba smiled a little bit, "but he likes pop tarts!"

Peggi laughed a little and wondered to herself if he had discovered a love for pop tarts before or _after_ he'd lost his money. It didn't seem like something he would've tried before things changed, but then again, she didn't know him very well.

"Do you think he'd want eggs too, Mokuba?"

Mokuba smiled, "You can call me Mokie, and yeah, I guess. He eats them weird though."

Peggi couldn't help but smile, "Weird? How so?"

"He makes them funny! He makes them like scrambled eggs but then he puts stuff in it! He puts cheese and bacon in it!"

"Oh, so he likes omelets then. That's easy enough to make."

"Yeah but then once it's done he puts pancake syrup on it! Gross!" Mokuba made an expression of disgust.

Peggi's eyes widened at the thought of putting pancake syrup on eggs, but shrugged her shoulders and set to work on the weird omelet. Once it was finished she heard a door in the hallway close and figured that Seto was probably changing now and would be out soon. She began to make her own breakfast, but because she didn't care much for eggs, she made a BLT sandwich.

Seto opened his closet, pulling out shirt after shirt, trying to find something nice to wear, but he couldn't seem to find anything decent. He was growing very frustrated, when he finally found a grey shirt with a thick black stripe going horizontally across the front and back. He found a pair of blue jeans that he'd never worn before and decided to wear them. Once he was dressed he took a look in the mirror and tried to do something with his hair. He wanted to do something different, and he got an idea.

Peggi and Mokuba were sitting on the couch when Seto walked back out. Mokuba was munching on a piece of bacon and Peggi had almost finished her sandwich when their jaws nearly dropped.

"Whoa! Big brother, you. . .that's. . .you look so freaking cool!" Mokuba jumped up, walking over to admire his brother's new hair.

Peggi was absolutely speechless, not only at the fact that in all of the magazines she'd seen the CEO Seto Kaiba in, all of the interviews on TV, he had _never_ looked this. . .normal. He had figured out how to spike his hair up and had gotten a hold of the hairspray Mokuba used when he felt like looking different. The hairspray would change your hair to a different color, washing out the next time you washed it, but it was meant for dark hair, and so Seto had decided to have black hair with light blue tips where it spiked up.

Mokuba tugged at the shirt, not sure if it was even real or not, and poked at the silver chain hanging around his brother's neck, to make sure that he wasn't just seeing things.

"Sexy. . ." Peggi blinked a few times, and then tried to clarify what she'd just said, "I mean, the hair, it's, uh really awesome. Because. . .I like hair!"

Seto couldn't help but smile inwardly at the affect his new ensemble was having on them both, and he sat down on the empty cushion of the couch. Peggi handed him a plate of food and suddenly he felt like killing his brother. One of the very few things he had never told anyone but Mokuba was about his strange food combinations, and Mokuba had said something to someone else. He was slightly embarrassed but pretended not to be and simply thanked her and tried to eat, glaring at Mokuba, who had a huge smile on his face.

Once Seto had finished with his omelet and pop tarts, he decided to try and do the dishes. Peggi decided to take a shower before Mokuba decided he wanted one, and Mokuba showed her where the towels were. Just as she was about to close the door, Seto pulled it back open and motioned for her to follow him.

"Follow me, it'll only take a minute."

She placed the towels on the sink and followed him, but stopped when he turned on the light to his bedroom and he looked back towards her. He realized why she'd stopped following him and he just rolled his eyes.

"Oh, just trust me!"

She felt a little uncomfortable walking into some guy's bedroom but knew that he obviously wasn't trying to be inappropriate, yet it still didn't feel right. He opened his closet and stepped back.

"I don't have very many things to choose from, but I figured you would want to wear something new after your shower. I have some sweatpants too, and I think they will fit you. They're from when I was younger, and they don't fit me anymore, I was saving them for Mokuba. They might be a little baggy, though."

Peggi pounced at Seto and grabbed him into a hug, which he'd seen her do to Tex on his first day of work. It was a bit strange to have someone hugging him, but he hugged her back, and she let go, searching through his clothes. She finally found one she liked and saw the sweatpants in a box and began searching through them. She finally found something and took her bundle of clothes with her into the bathroom.

Seto sat down on the bed, listening to Mokuba in the living room watching a movie. He heard the water turn on in the bathroom and looked onto his dresser. He had a picture of Mokuba and himself, before they'd lost everything. Mokuba was smiling, as usual, but then he looked at himself. He was wearing the most expensive suit money could buy, holding a brief case that most millionaires could never afford, and yet, he looked so unhappy. He tried to remember how it felt to have money, but somehow he just couldn't. He thought about what Mokuba had said to him, about how this life just might not be so bad. It was very hard to think about, but at the same time, his brother just might've been right. Things couldn't be better, actually. For once, he felt human. Here he was, Seto Kaiba, once a powerful CEO, and he was lying on a bed with sheets from a thrift store with black and blue hair in spikes with his first real friend living with him! No, that wasn't right either. She didn't live there, she lived with _her_ friends.

He felt a bit saddened by the thought, but it was possible that she was only there for Mokuba. Mokuba had been sick and that was the whole reason she was there. Marik had made it very clear that the little band of geeks really did care about Seto and so he hoped that they would all accept him as a part of their group, but at the same time, he didn't really want friends at all. He knew that people would hurt each other, stab friends in the back and use loved ones for personal gain, but somewhere inside, he hoped that there were some people in the world who didn't try to get ahead by hurting others. Then, something else dawned on him. What if he was really just _using_ Peggi and her cousin and her friends? The thought did hurt him a bit, but someone couldn't use another person without knowing it, _right_?

A final thought began to creep into his mind, and it almost scared him. Why had he really cared about his appearance if the only people who would see him that day were Mokuba and Peggi? That thought almost hunted him, until he heard the shower door close and he was startled out of his thoughts.

**END OF CHAPTER EIGHT**

Seto: (gagging) This is getting worse and worse!

Peggi: Even worse than. . .THE KISS?!

Seto: I really think I'm going to be sick!

Peggi: You're just mad because you didn't get the yummy soup for breakfast! Anyhoo, I just wanted to thank all of my readers who actually reviewed, and to thank Eevee, for providing the peeps that helped to inspire the plot bunnies! Special thanks to journey maker and Eevee for all of their lovely reviews! Yay!


	9. Chapter 9

Peggi: Yes, I know that it's been a good while since I updated, but the inspriation died with some plot bunnies. I think I'm going to pace myself. I'll aim for one update per week, see if I can get a few more than that in, and keep those reviews coming!

Eevee: When do we get to see more Seto-torture-at-work?!

Peggi: Next chapter. I'm also introducting our first fangirl into the story next chapter, so if you want to be in this, there's still time! But you're running out of time so act quickly!

Seto: Or you could just end this now because no one likes this story!

Peggi: Oh, but then I would be killed by several of my readers! So, please review and we all know what I don't own!

**CHAPTER NINE**

Seto was just running the thoughts through his mind a few more times when he noticed Mokuba outside of the bathroom door. He wasn't sure what his brother was doing at first, but then the long haired boy knocked on the bathroom door and began to turn the handle. He was about to walk in, and Seto knew that girls were very particular about such things. He hadn't ever really gotten into a long discussion with his little brother yet about the bigger differences between girls and boys, and walking into the bathroom while a girl was showering was a big 'no no'!

Seto jumped up from the bed and hoped to pull his little brother out before there was yelling, but Mokuba was already halfway in. Seto grabbed at Mokuba but missed and lost his footing for a second, catching himself, but not before stumbling into the room and catching himself on the first thing he could grab a hold of. Luckily, Seto realized what he had done _before_ he managed to embarrass himself further, but he quickly turned around and grabbed Mokuba shoving him out the door and then followed, closing it behind him.

Peggi just blinked a few times and picked her towel back up that she had been using to dry her hair until Seto had decided to use it to catch his balance. She giggled a bit, realizing that he must've thought she was wearing only the towel, but she had been holding it at the exact moment the boys came tumbling into the bathroom. She knew Seto was still standing right outside the door, and she wanted to mess with him a little bit.

"How could you do that?!" she screamed through the door at Seto.

Seto felt his face turn a bit red, "I didn't look at you, I was just trying to get Mokuba out before _he_ saw anything!"

"I was just trying to get my toothbrush!" Mokuba defended, feeling like he needed to defend himself.

"Mokuba is a little kid! He wouldn't have been a problem, it's not like he was coming in to spy on me! You're the one who tried grabbing at my towel! You couldn't even be discreet about it?!" Peggi almost felt herself laughing.

In her last act of evilness, Peggi opened the door and watched as the older teen came tumbling in _again_, as he had been leaning on the door. Peggi dropped the towel next to him and handed Mokuba his toothbrush through the doorway. Mokuba smiled at her and walked off, toothbrush in hand, not wanting to brush his teeth where there were arguing teens. Seto almost looked desperate as he stood up, brushing himself off.

"I live with two guys who stay at my house permanently and several others who come and go. If you think some guy walking in on me in the shower bothers me, think again. And don't worry, I was dressed anyway, or I wouldn't have unlocked the door for Mokuba when he knocked."

"I just know how emotional you girls can get sometimes over stupid things and I didn't want my little brother exposed to your PMS."

"First of all," Peggi began calmly, "those boys that I live with are the reason I'm not going to slap you for bunching all girls together for a stupid false statement like that, and secondly, thank you for caring so much about upsetting me."

At first, Seto wasn't sure if he should be grateful or angry at this point, but he assumed that there was no harm of any sort meant towards him.

"Since you obviously aren't going to work today, do you think you could do something for me?" Seto asked, completely serious.

"Maybe. It depends on what you want me to do," she was very suspicious.

"I've never done this before, so I'm not sure exactly how to start. I want to. . .talk."

She had been bracing herself for a huge request, so at the request of conversation, she couldn't help but laugh.

"Sounds easy enough," she laughed, trying not to embarrass him, "what did you want to talk about?"

"Everything. For example, how is it that you can afford all of your nice things when you work at the same place I do, and can barely afford this cruddy rat trap? How do you know so much about cooking and kids? And why do I feel more comfortable around you and your band of geeks than anyone I've ever met in my whole life?"

Peggi just laughed and took in a deep breath, "Well, to answer your first question, Eevee and her boyfriend work too. They mostly earn spending cash but it does help a little bit. Most of my money is earned in dueling competitions."

"You mean you make money for dressing up and fighting?" Seto was in awe of this thought.

"No. Dueling, with duel monsters. I would've been a competitor in the Duelist Kingdom tournaments, but my cousin didn't want any unfair advantages over Yugi. He wanted to go against Yugi for some reason. Then for the question on how I know so much about cooking and kids? Well, I've been on my own for quite some time. I helped to raise my cousins for a while and I have those mother's instincts coming around all of the time. I love kids and I just love to take care of them. It comes naturally, I guess. So now some questions for you. Why did you dress like that today?"

Seto looked down at his outfit and up at his hair, realizing that even he didn't know the answer to that one. He simply shrugged his shoulders and thought that maybe they should have this discussion somewhere other than in the bathroom doorway.

"Mokuba is watching a movie in the living room. I'm not trying to be inappropriate but would you like to go into my room just to sit down?" Seto wasn't sure if that had sounded like some 'guy trick' or not, but Peggi didn't seem to upset by the question.

They walked into his room and she sat on the edge of the bed and he sat on the other end, just to show that he wasn't going to try anything funny. Mokuba must've brushed his teeth in the kitchen because he walked back into the bathroom to put it away and on his way out again, he eyed the two of them from the doorway.

"If you two are gonna kiss again can you put a sign up on the door for me and close it please?" Mokuba ran out before the pillow Seto threw at him hit.

"I'm not sure how to go about asking this but I'm sure Marik has-informed you of what I always wanted to do with my life."

Peggi knew what he was talking about but didn't want to get Marik into any sort of trouble, so she decided to just hear the story all over again, "No, but I'm sure I can guess. Let's see, buying your own country?" she laughed.

Seto also laughed, "No, actually, although that doesn't sound like a bad idea. You see, when I was younger I used to watch my mother do performances in theater. She was a dancer, and I always loved watching her. She looked so graceful and her performances always took my breath away. When I actually believed that dreams could come true, I decided I wanted to be just like her. I wanted to dance. Dance in front of large crowds on Broadway or in movies. Admitting that to Marik was the most embarrassing thing I've ever done in my entire life, but now that I have nothing to lose, I want to try and accomplish that dream."

Peggi hadn't heard that story before; all she had heard was what Marik had told her. The idea was actually a very nice one. Seto actually had goals and dreams similar to a regular person's. she giggled a tiny bit, trying to imagine him hopping around on stage but she caught a hurt look in his eyes, thinking that she was mocking him.

"No," she tried to explain herself, "it's not funny that you want to do something cool with your life it's just thinking about it. You don't seem like the kind of person who would wanna do something like that, that's all. Well Tea wants to be a dancer too in ballet so maybe you could try talking to her about how you can do it. But you've gotta really want it if you're going to get it. It's not like you can just pay your way in."

"So what do you want to do with your life?" he asked, a little embarrassed about the whole subject.

"Well, I want to do something with some kind of art. I love taking pictures and drawing or painting. I'd love to do that for money some day. I'm really good at a lot of things but that's something I've been good at my whole life and I love to do it. A lot of people think I should do something with kids, so if my dream of art doesn't work out I can always work in child care or something."

"Well, if I ever get all of my money back you're welcome to watch Mokuba!" Seto laughed.

Peggi laughed too, imagining herself working in a really big mansion and chasing a sugar-high Mokuba up and down the stairs.

"So, do you think you'll ever become a photographer or artist?" Seto asked, this time being more realistic.

"I doubt it. I know I'm still really young, but I just have way too much going on in my life. I don't think I'll be able to go to college. See, I've got quite a few people living with me. A couple of them try to pay me for things like food and their share of the bills but I don't make them give me the money. I try to give Eevee everything I never got to have, but she still insists on working, at least for the spending cash. I look out for her the way you look out for Mokuba."

Seto thought about what life would've been like if he and Mokuba hadn't ended up with their stepfather. He couldn't picture himself having to learn all of the things he'd need in today's world. He might not have even had a job at this point. He could've been a drug addict with Mokuba running away and living on the streets. They might already have children out there somewhere by now! The thought of living a horrible life scared him a bit, but being poor didn't mean you _had_ to be miserable. His co-workers were very good at being poor, and they'd lived like this their whole lives!

Peggi waved her hand in front of Seto's face, as he seemed to be in a trance-like state "Earth to Seto!"

"I was just thinking. So, what do you do for fun around here, when you don't have a lot of money, that is?"

Peggi thought for a moment, and a smile crept across her face, "I think Eevee and I will _show_ you!"

"I'm not so sure I want to know, then."

Peggi simply laughed, "Don't worry; I think you'll really enjoy yourself. You don't seem to get out much and just have fun. Just think of it as a new learning experience! You get fun-101!"

Seto thought about the idea for a moment and then nodded, "As long as I won't be out too late. We both have work early in the morning."

Peggi just smiled and nodded. Mokuba walked into the room, covering his eyes with one hand and holding his arm out to feel his way around.

"Are you guys making out?" he asked, keeping his eyes covered.

"No, Mokuba," Seto grumbled.

"Are you guys naked?" Mokuba asked, his eyes still covered.

Seto opened his mouth, about to say no but Peggi answered for him, "Yes."

"_Really_?!" he asked, removing his hand from his face.

Seto threw a pillow at his younger brother and considered throwing one at Peggi but she had already thought of that and threw one at him. It hit Seto right in the face and he nearly fell off of the bed.

"You have _really_ bad balance," she laughed at him.

"Only around you!" Mokuba laughed, mocking his older brother.

Seto felt like killing Mokuba but decided that witnesses wouldn't be good so he decided to just find out what his brother wanted, "Why are you in here? Are you feeling sick?"

"I just wanted you guys to watch another movie with me!" Mokuba insisted.

Seto looked to Peggi and she shrugged her shoulders, so they both followed Mokuba into the living room where he had a movie already in the DVD player. It was the horror known as the VeggieTales movie.

**END OF CHAPTER NINE**

Seto: When will this horror ever end?!

Peggi: Many lovely chapters from now! Hopefully the chapters will be longer than this!

Mokuba: VEGGIETALES!

Yami: (gag) this story is really stupid! I'm not even in it!

Peggi: That's because I'm trying to get over the trauma of writing these one-shots requested by a reader. Where I'm nice to you. Enough trauma!

Seto: Now you know how I feel!

Peggi: And as long as there are reviewers, there will be stories where you are miserable! But you're so cute when you're acting normal!


	10. Chapter 10

Peggi: Hey look, it's finally an update! I made it a bit longer to make up for the lack of updates in a while.

Eevee: That's still no excuse, update sooner!

Peggi: Says the girl whose last update was in '05.

Seto: How about neither of you update so none of us have to be here?

Peggi: How about YOU shut up!

Seto: . . .sorry. . .

**CHAPTER TEN**

Once the movie had ended, Peggi explained to Mokuba that she was going to steal his brother for the afternoon.

"Hey, Mokie, I have an idea. Your brother and I are going to go out for the night but I have a friend who would love to come over and spend time with you while we're gone. You can't stay alone, especially since you're sick and I think my friend would be just perfect for the job! What do you say?"

"I guess that sounds good," Mokuba looked to his big brother, "but can't I come with you?"

"Sorry, sweetie, you're not old enough. I don't think you would have a lot of fun anyway." Peggi explained to him, ruffling his long black hair.

After Seto was convinced that his little brother wouldn't mind spending the evening with someone else, Peggi dragged him back into his room.

"I love the hair but you might want to gel it up a little bit more or else it'll get messed up. Leave it spiky though, that looks great on you! The rest of the outfit looks," she tried to watch what she said so as not to let anything slip, "great."

"So are you going to tell me where we're going?" he asked, trying to put more gel in his hair and wondering if he was even doing it right.

"No, you won't know until we get there. Finish up with your hair and I'm going to call Eevee."

Peggi left him to his hair and dialed a number on her cell phone. A very tired sounding Eevee answered.

"Hey Eev, feel like going out tonight?"

"Sure!" she replied instantly, not even thinking twice.

"Okay, well, I'm bringing Seto. I think he could use a night out with the regular people! Is Tex there?"

"No he is still at work but he'll be at his house in a little while. Did you want me to invite him too?"

Peggi laughed a little bit, "Not this time. I wanted to know if he could come over here and watch Mokuba."

"I'm sure he'll say yes to getting to spend the night with someone who likes to play games and watch little kid shows! But I'll ask him for you. If not, I'm sure my brother can earn his keep for once! No, wait. . .bad idea to put the little immature brat in charge of things. But Shiryu wouldn't mind."

The girls said their goodbyes and Seto walked back into the living room where Mokuba was drawing on pieces of printer paper with crayons. Seto hugged his little brother good bye and assured him that someone would be there soon to watch him, and then Peggi dragged the ex-CEO out of the apartment, barely giving him time to lock the door behind him.

"Your brother will be _fine_, trust me!" Peggi encouraged him not to worry too much.

She led him to her car, which was parked in the lot of the apartment complex, and Seto laughed, remembering the last time he'd been in that car. Seto tugged on the chain around his neck, looking out the window as Peggi drove them to wherever they were meeting Eevee. The music blared through the speakers in German, a language and a song that Seto had never heard before, and Peggi sang along with the song.

Peggi pulled into a convenience store parking lot and turned to Seto, "I'm just running in for some junk food but I'll be right back, okay?"

Seto nodded and turned down the music as Peggi shut the car door behind herself. Seto sighed, watching her walk out of sight and through the doors that led into the building and looked around the parking lot. It was barely after noon, and he wondered where they could possibly be going that was so exciting. Peggi had been gone for, oh, two minutes already, and Seto was growing very bored. He opened up the glove compartment to explore, just trying to entertain himself.

He pulled out a road map and looked it over, quickly throwing it into the driver's seat upon realizing that it was too much of a headache to read over a map for entertainment. He pulled out a hairbrush, not even having to hold it close to smell the perfume-like shampoo that Peggi used, and tossed that aside as well. He found registration papers for the car and read the name Pegasus Crawford as the car's owner and discarded those papers more quickly than he had the other two things, a little irritated that he was riding in a car that was owned by that horrible man, but figured that a lot of the things Peggi owned had been given to her by him.

He also found some Duel Monster's cards, none of them very interesting and threw them back in the glove box. He put the other items back, careful not to mess anything up, and then looked back to the store. Still, no sign of Peggi. It had been close to five minutes now!

Seto noticed Peggi had left a book bag in the back seat and pulled it up front. He unzipped the bag and started sifting through everything inside. He found a whole lot of nothing, and a notebook. He pulled the notebook out and looked through it. It was a regular lined paper notebook, nothing special from the looks of it, but on the inside, it was amazing. Peggi apparently loved to draw, and she was exceptionally good at it. He found pictures of Eevee, people he had never met and even pictures he recognized to be from Duelist Kingdom.

Apparently she didn't know Yugi and his friends during that time, because none of her pictures of them were from up close. As he continued to flip through the book, he came across a page that caught his eye. It was him. She had several collages of different people, but she had even made a page with him. It was obvious that she didn't know him at that point, because all of the pictures were from inside of the castle, but the detail she'd used had to mean something. Seto wondered if she'd taken a special interest in him during that time for one reason or another. What really made him wonder was because in every picture of himself in this collage, she had caught him at his strongest times.

He turned the page and found Mokuba on that page. Also a picture from Duelist Kingdom. This time, he wasn't so thrilled with what he saw. She had been in a room where Mokuba was sleeping, after he'd been kidnapped. Mokuba was sleeping on a pile of blankets that had been thrown in a corner and it was night time because the moonlight was the only thing to give light to his little brother's face. Mokuba looked so peaceful in his sleep, but the room looked so cold and lonely. Seto wondered if she'd had anything to do with Mokuba's kidnap.

A little irritated, Seto closed the notebook and put it in the driver's seat, and continued to look through things. There was nothing in the larger part of the bag and so he opened up one of the smaller compartments. He found pencils and charcoal for drawing and then something that he _really_ hadn't seen coming. He found a Ziploc bag filled with condoms. Ironically, just as he pulled the bag out, the door to the driver's side of the car opened and Peggi stared into the car, an odd expression on her face.

She threw a bag into the back seat and picked up her notebook, sitting in the car and closed her door.

"Having fun with my things?" she questioned, watching a light red color spread over Seto's face.

Peggi simply grabbed the book bag from him and carefully placed her notebook back inside, and then handed it back to him. Seto looked around, trying to think of any excuse at all other than the truth as to why he was looking through her things, but said the first thing that he could think of.

"Who were you saving _these_ for?" he asked, handing her the bag and hoping her answer wouldn't put him in even more of an embarrassing situation than he already was.

"Why? Were you hoping they were for you and me?" she asked, raising an eyebrow and grabbing the bag from him, leaning over to put them back in the book bag that he was holding again.

"No! Yes! Wait, is there _any _answer to this question that won't get me slapped, or is it just one of those loaded questions where I'll never win no matter _what_ I say?" Seto tried to laugh off the embarrassment.

Peggi just laughed and rolled her eyes, "Truth is stranger than fiction, Seto. It's a collection. It started off as a really big joke between Eevee and I, and ended up being a really big inside joke collection thingy. We're both trying to find one of every single kind we can. I'm winning. I even have the kind that glows in the dark."

Her explanation had seemed so ridiculous and yet, she held a straight face the whole time. Seto wasn't sure if she was joking or not and wasn't sure if he should laugh or just go along with it.

"If you don't believe me, I'll show you our bags when we get there. You can even ask Eev."

Sure that she was serious, Seto felt a little bit relieved and laughed a little, wondering if he should explain to her why he was looking through her things, and then, again, she saved him from the trouble.

"Next time you get bored, give me the benefit of the doubt when you're looking through my things," she laughed, rolling her eyes as they pulled out of the parking lot.

Seto laughed and then got serious again, not wanting to let things build up anymore, "You saw my brother when Pegasus kidnapped him. Why were you there? Were you helping Pegasus?" Seto questioned almost angrily.

Peggi stopped at the red light and turned to Seto, "I was there. I didn't help my cousin with _anything_, and I was the one who left a rope of tied up sheets in your brother's room one night. He escaped but he ended up getting himself kidnapped again. I tried to help you two. And when my cousin was dueling Yugi or sleeping I was staying up all night to guard the cards with your pictures on them. He told me he had trapped your souls in them, and I didn't know if it was true or not but just in case it was, I didn't want anything to happen to either of you."

Seto felt tears in the back of his eyes but turned away so Peggi wouldn't see them. He had accused her of helping to kidnap his little brother and yet she had cared about both of them when she didn't even know them. She didn't seem to be anything like Pegasus.

"Thank you for what you did. I don't believe in any of that magic that Yugi or Pegasus ramble on about, but Pegasus did do something to my little brother and I, and maybe if you hadn't helped us, things would've been far worse for us," Seto tried to think of a good thank-you and that was the best he could come up with.

"I never knew you until you came to work with me, but you were just a guy trying to help his little brother and I respected that. I would risk everything to help Eevee if I needed to and what you do for your brother is exactly what I do for her. You may be a cold hearted jerk at times but you _never_, not even _once_ put yourself first in life. First it's your brother. Then it's you. Anyone who does that must have a really great heart and a lot of love, and anyone with motives like that doesn't deserve to go through what Pegasus put you through. I tried to make him stop the tournament."

Seto thought for a minute about what she had said and then, instead of thinking of something to match what she said just said what was on his mind, "You are an amazing person if you put Eevee first. It isn't easy to be unselfish and I am honored to have someone like you watching my back. I don't know very much about taking care of myself and if you hadn't been such a great," Seto almost choked on this word, "_friend_ I wouldn't have known what to do."

Peggi just smiled, knowing how hard that must've been for someone like Seto Kaiba to say, and turned into the driveway of the house she had been headed to. Seto looked at the blue house and then back to Peggi.

"Is this where you live?" he asked, loving the cozy look and feel of the place.

"Yup. Me and all of my friends who don't seem to like their _own_ houses very much."

Peggi grabbed the bag of food from the back seat and got out of the car, Seto doing the same and then they walked through the gate to the front door. Before they even made it to the door it opened and Tex stood in the doorway.

"Oh, hi! I was just leaving to go to," he looked to Seto, "well, your place. I guess Mokuba is waiting for me?"

Seto looked to Peggi, "He is who is watching my brother? _Him_?!"

Tex looked almost offended, if that had really bothered him, "Yes. Me. Oh, and Peggi you should _really_ enjoy some air outside, and you know. You should look at the trees and birds and sky and stuff."

Peggi rolled her eyes, "She's doing something I would dub as inappropriate, isn't she?" Peggi sighed.

"Why would you instantly _assume_ that?" Tex tried to look convincing.

"Because every time Eevee is doing something that damages my eyes and brain, you tell me to do something you know I would normally never do. Like look at trees and birds."

Tex just laughed nervously and walked out the door, past Seto and Peggi and out the gate. Peggi sighed heavily and led Seto inside.

"Did you want something to drink while we're waiting for Eevee to get ready?" she asked, trying to be a good hostess.

"Actually, that would be great," he replied.

Peggi showed him to the kitchen and set the bag on the table, "What would you like?"

"Well, since you wouldn't have Avian water, I guess regular water is okay," he looked around the kitchen, expecting her to grab a glass for him but when he turned back to her she had a glare on her face.

"What makes you think we wouldn't have it? Do you think a bottle of water is too _good_ for me?"

Seto hadn't meant to offend her but apparently he had, "I just didn't think you could," he let his voice trail off.

"What? I couldn't _afford_ it? For your information Mr. Perfect, we _do_ have Avian water because Nick and I both refuse to drink any other kind of water! If you don't mean to offend me, try not saying things like that from now on! I may not own a mansion but that doesn't mean I can't afford nice things!"

Seto realized how that must've sounded and he hadn't meant it to sound that way. He tried to think of an apology but he opened his mouth and nothing came out. Nothing at all. Except for a stuttering sound but he couldn't think of something to say to her. When he'd first lost all of his money, a girl he had been fighting off for quite some time had completely abandoned him. She had been pursuing him for almost three full years and the day he lost his money, she stopped trying to call him, stopped following his limo, stopped the emails. She was gone. It wasn't that he missed her, it was the fact that he suddenly realized that he had lost _everything_. He had felt so lost and confused the day that it really sank in that it actually hurt him when people reminded him that he didn't have his fortunes anymore.

Peggi saw how sorry Seto was and realized that he had taken her response more to heart than she'd intended and she placed a hand on his, "It's no big deal. If you want something just ask but don't instantly assume that I won't have something nice just because I don't ride around in a limo, okay?"

Seto nodded, really feeling bad for what he'd said and how he'd made her feel, promising himself he would watch what he said when it came to money. Peggi opened the refrigerator and handed him a bottle of water and a can of cherry coke for herself. Eevee walked into the kitchen, a towel over her head and she smiled at the two of them.

"Back so soon?" she had that tone in her voice that let Peggi know she was about to do or say something irritating.

"Yeah, we just grabbed some munchies and came straight home. Are you almost ready?"

"Yeah, Shiryu is getting dressed right now and I was just coming to grab something to drink before I got ready."

Peggi nodded and Eevee grabbed a cherry coke out of the fridge and then smiled at Peggi, "There's still plenty of hot water in the shower if you guys need to get one, or maybe you'd prefer cold water?"

Eevee barely made it out of the room before a magnet from the freezer flew in her general direction and Seto nearly choked on the water from that comment.

"Is she normally like that?" Seto asked, "or is she just giving me _special_ treatment?"

Peggi just laughed, "No, she's always like this. She's a little worse when it comes to you for some reason, but she's usually trying her best to torment me."

Seto smiled and sighed, "I really have come a long way in such a short time. Just a few days ago I thought I'd kill myself if I didn't get everything back soon and now I'm actually socializing and _enjoying_ it, even if you _are_ just a bunch of crazy people!"

Peggi just laughed, "Well, for someone who couldn't even make soup until yesterday, you're not too bad either. Although, your apologies could use some work."

Seto saw someone walking into the room and figured he was the boy Eevee had mentioned earlier. He had long dark hair and a nice build and was wearing what looked like Chinese clothing. Seto suddenly felt small in that room with this new guy standing there. Seto knew he looked good, but he was so uncomfortable making small talk and trying to fit in. This other guy looked relaxed and calm, and it added to his already good looks. Seto was sure there were a lot of girls jealous of Eevee.

"Hey, you must be Seto. I'm Shiryu."

Seto held his hand out for Shiryu and they shook hands. Shiryu began digging through the bag Peggi had brought home and pulled out some chips. The three of them stood in silence until Eevee called for Peggi. Peggi walked out of the room, leaving the boys to their silence.

"So, you Peggi's boyfriend?" Shiryu asked through a mouthful of chips.

"No, why do you think that?" Seto wasn't sure if this was more of that small talk or not.

"She doesn't bring guys here. Unless they're gay. Or her boyfriend," Shiryu handed him the bag of chips and Seto took his offer.

"Well, I'm certainly not gay, and I'm not her boyfriend. Or at least," this small talk left him with a lot of confusion, "I don't _think_ I am."

Seto tried one of those chips Shiryu was eating and decided they actually tasted really good. Shiryu just laughed at his statement.

"You don't _know_ if you have a girlfriend or not? Well, okay. Girls can be confusing and sometimes you agree to things you don't realize you're agreeing to. Like, a little while ago Eevee said she needed to start getting ready and I said me too. Didn't realize at the time that I just committed myself to a shower that was for more than getting clean. Not that I'd dare share that with Peggi, and not that I can complain."

Seto hoped he hadn't committed himself to something that extreme.

"Okay so here's how you know if you have a girlfriend. Does she have any nicknames for you yet?" Shiryu asked, grabbing something to drink.

"I think she called me an asshole at one point but nothing _sweet_."

"Okay," Shiryu thought of something else to ask, "Have you kissed her yet?"

Seto's silence answered Shiryu's question and he draped an arm over Seto's shoulders, "First of all, never relay that information to Eevee unless you want to open up a can of worms and know things you really don't _want_ to know. Secondly, was it like, the kind of making out kiss or just a sweet little two second thing?"

Again there was silence that answered Shiryu's question, "Well, it's worse than I thought. You two are going to get married."

Seto was about to protest when Shiryu burst into laughter, "Don't worry, I'm just playing with you. Eevee wanted me to get as much dirt on you two as I could. That's all I can work out of you with a serious face. So okay now that you know my agenda, you _have_ to give me something good to tell Eevee!"

Seto was a little irritated but went along with Shiryu's request, "Well, nothing happened between us if that's what you're after and even if something _had_ happened I wouldn't just tell you. That would be wrong."

Shiryu smiled, "That was all she wanted."

"What was all she wanted? To know that nothing happened between her cousin and I?"

"No, to know that you like her. You like Peggi. If you didn't, you would've made something up to tell me about or would've been rude just now in your reply. A guy doesn't say it would be _wrong_ unless he really likes a girl and doesn't want any rumors started about her. That's cute. I won't tell Peggi if you don't want me to, but Eevee is another story."

Seto was about to protest _again_, when Shiryu's eyes lit up. Seto turned to see the girls standing in the doorway, both dressed and ready to go _wherever_ it was that they were going, and both looked fantastic.

Eevee had pinned her red hair up in an emerald green clip and was wearing a navy blue tank top and a matching short skirt. Her tank top had a white butterfly on the front and she was wearing a pair of low cut boots that were navy blue but had green laces that matched the clip in her hair. Peggi was wearing a red and black striped short skirt with fishnet stockings and combat boots on, and a black shirt that had sleeves that flared off at the elbow and zipped in the front. Her long hair was down and hair sprayed to stay down.

Both boys stared in awe of how great both girls looked and the only thing that came out of their mouths was, "Wow!"

**END OF CHAPTER TEN**

Tex: Do Mokuba and I get our own chapter?

Peggi: No.

Shiryu: Do Eevee and I get our-

Peggi: NO! I couldn't write a chapter for you two anyway because the ratings on this site don't go high enough.

Eevee: What makes you think that we would do anything to make the ratings go up?

Peggi: Because you're my cousin. I know these things. Plus, the fact that we're related gives that whole fact away. Special thanks to those of you who have been so patient waiting for updates! Thanks even more to those who have reviewed:

TheFemalePharaoh  
Journey Maker  
Eevee

Seto: It brings Peggi such joy to see new reviews. No, really. She even has a dance she does when she gets a new one. . .it's. . .scary.

Peggi: (glare) Ahem. REVIEW PLEASE! And I will try to update soon!


	11. Chapter 11

Peggi: Eevee is here and she gives me such inspiration to write!

Eevee: I'm so glad! And now I finally get to see some updates!

Seto: Oh, joy. Go back to Florida!

Eevee: NO!

Peggi: Another cute chapter! I love naming my characters after my nicknames! It makes it feel more personal!

Seto: And makes me feel like I'm about to see my lunch again!

Peggi: Shut up or you'll be making out with Weevil.

Seto: Please read and review!

**CHAPTER ELEVEN**

Both Seto and Shiryu were amazed by how great the girls looked and neither knew the right word to explain how fantastic they looked. Shiryu's description seemed to work the best.

"Wow, Eevee, can you be any sexier?"

Eevee just smirked, knowing she looked good and deciding to flaunt it. Eevee walked up to Shiryu and wrapped her arm around his neck and pulled him into a kiss, a little 'yick!' escaping Peggi's lips.

"Okay, time to leave," Peggi interrupted their moment so as not to have to see something that would cause her more damage.

Eevee pulled away from Shiryu and grabbed the bag from the table and the three of them led the way out to the car, Seto following.

"I'm surprised you're letting Shark stay home by himself!" Eevee commented at Peggi allowing the boy to stay by himself for a night.

"I would be too, except I'm not letting your brother stay home alone. I don't trust anyone from my bloodline that is your brother stay alone in my house with my things and lots of breakable stuff like walls or a floor."

"Oh, who is doing the dirty work for the night?" Eevee wondered, not sure how it was possible to pay someone enough to watch him after the _last_ time.

"Marik."

Both Eevee and Shiryu's eyes went wide at the thought of Marik _ever_ being convinced to watch Shark for them.

"What did you have on him?" Shiryu asked.

"I won a bet and took some rather embarrassing photos, and I convinced him to exchange the photos for his wonderful offer to stay with Shark. Too bad I forgot to mention those doubles I had of the photos. . ."

Seto could only imagine what those pictures had been of and made a point to ask her to show him sometime. Oh what he wouldn't give for blackmail like that! There was a short battle over who should drive, and after not much of a struggle, it was decided that Shiryu should do the driving at least on the way to their destination. Seto was stuck in the back between the two girls and Shiryu felt that it was to his own benefit to travel next to the junk food.

For the first few minutes, Seto was silent but then his curiosity got the better of him.

"So, do I have to wait until we _get_ there to know what we're doing?" he looked back and forth between the girls.

"Well," Peggi began, "think of this first segment as a really short road trip. We're going to be driving for a couple of hours to get to where we're going. Just enjoy the sights and try to relax and enjoy this!"

Seto sat back and listened to the music, trying to make the best of the situation. A song came on that Eevee and Peggi obviously knew really well because before the singing even began they both squealed and began doing a little dance. The singing began and suddenly Seto recognized the song.

"I know this!" he exclaimed, causing both girls to jump and Shiryu just laughed.

"Excited over knowing a song?" Shiryu laughed, turning the volume up, knowing that there would be three people instead of just two singing along with Phenomenon.

Mokuba had played this song loudly in his room enough times for Seto to have it memorized by this point, and he joined the girls who were singing loudly. Simon from American Idol would have a very fun time with the three of them at this point. Shiryu couldn't help but laugh at how hard they were trying to catch every last beat. Finally the three of them figured out how they sounded together and took their own parts to the song. By the time the next song came on, they were able to figure out who was going to sing what, and Seto even knew that song too!

The second song was Cold Remix Final and it was a perfect song because Shiryu decided to join in and take the female part of the song. Before long, Seto was lost in the music and the laughter that he completely forgot that he had ever been bored and that he'd ever questioned joining them on this little outing. After a few songs Seto didn't know one that came on and he and Eevee began to eat some of the junk food and for the first time he tried snack cakes. Shiryu had been the one to think ahead and had an entire small ice box filled with things to drink and they were all thankful for the caffeine after using up so much energy dancing in the back and singing.

An hour had already flown by before any of them realized it. Another song came on that Seto didn't know but both girls looked at each other and then Eevee got a big grin on her face.

"This is _so_ your song, Seto!"

After a few seconds he laughed a little, when he realized that the song was something about being behind blue eyes and he just enjoyed the song while the other three tried to sing it. Finally they arrived at their destination and Seto looked around. He couldn't see any special reason to be there and honestly he didn't know why they were there at all.

"It's," he wasn't even sure where to begin, "a park? With playground equipment. Couldn't we have just gone to the school if this is where we were headed? And why couldn't Mokuba come?"

"Would you give up the fun you had on the drive here?" Shiryu asked.

Seto shrugged his shoulders, agreeing that the ride there had been the most fun he'd ever had in a car before.

"Don't worry; we didn't just come here to play at the park. That's just the cake. The icing on the cake is what's after dark. We're going somewhere else too, but we have to wait for it to get dark out."

Seto nodded and wondered what they could possibly be doing _after_ dark, but figured that whatever it was, they'd have fun. Eevee had already run away and was sitting on a swing and Shiryu was pushing her on it. She was laughing and giggling and they were talking. Seto wasn't really sure what he was supposed to be doing, because when he was at a park it was always with Mokuba and he was just sitting around watching him.

Peggi grabbed Seto by the arm and dragged him over to one of the pieces of equipment, "Here, try this. Do you have a problem with feeling dizzy?" she laughed.

"Why? What is this?" he asked, not sure what the thing did.

"It's called a merry-go-round. It's really fun. You get on and then someone grabs it and runs around really fast until it starts moving in a circle and it can go _really_ fast. It makes you dizzy but it makes you forget the rest of the world even exists."

Seto didn't really know if he liked the idea of riding this contraption, but he didn't have the time to protest before Peggi pushed him on. He wasn't really sure what to hold on to, so he just grabbed on to the bars. Peggi began pushing it and within only a few seconds it was going in circles and Peggi jumped on as well. The rush of the wind and the feeling of no weight anymore were actually a little thrilling.

Finally they were both dizzy enough and Seto suddenly wondered how they were supposed to get off.

"How do we make it stop?" he asked.

"You don't! You just jump!" Peggi stumbled over to him from the other side.

"What?!"

"Jump!"

Peggi grabbed Seto's hand and pulled him off. They both stumbled into the gigantic playground sandbox. Seto was sure he'd messed up his outfit. They both stood, stumbling around and Eevee walked up to them. She waved her hands in front of Peggi's face and Peggi fell over, dizzy. Both girls began laughing insanely and Seto tried to walk but everything was spinning around him. He now knew how people on drugs must've felt! After brushing off a rather large pile of dirt, Seto walked over to Shiryu and sat down on one of the swings next to him.

"So is this what you do a lot?" Seto asked, swinging slowly.

"Well, we don't come out and do this as often as I'd like, but we come out about every other week. We also have this thing we do every single Saturday. We pack up and head out towards the mountains. We go camping and don't come back until Monday. It's always a nice little getaway from the rest of the world. We've been doing it for quite some time but it never gets old and never gets boring."

He just smiled to Shiryu's response, thinking that something like that would be relaxing and actually sounded pretty nice. The rest of the evening was spent acting like children and playing 'tag'. Of course, the girls won because while they might've run a little bit slower, they were a bit more agile and always managed to get away. It was starting to get late in the evening, and they were all pretty much tired and decided to take a short rest before the big event.

Eevee and Shiryu were sitting on the swings just talking and Peggi was sitting on the top of the slide with her notebook in hand. Seto had been sitting on a bench just watching the sunset begin and decided to have some company. He climbed to the top of the slide and rested his chin on Peggi's shoulder.

"What are you drawing?" he asked her.

She just laughed a little, "Everything. Right now I'm working on those two goofballs."

He watched as lines appeared on the page and a picture began to appear. Each part of the picture was flawless and it all came together so nicely. After only a couple of minutes, there was a swing set, Eevee and Shiryu and a wonderful background filled with trees and the sun setting. After just a little shading the picture was finished, signed and dated and a new page was turned to.

"What will you draw now?" he asked, looking around the playground.

"I don't know," she replied.

"Can I see all of the new ones you've drawn?" he asked, holding a hand in front of her to take the notebook.

She handed it to him and he flipped through her newest pictures. There were several new ones in there, one of him and Shiryu when they were throwing pinecones back and forth, a collage or two of Eevee and Shiryu and a few collages of himself.

"Why don't you ever try drawing yourself? I've noticed that you take an image that you see and then add extra things to it to show what the person is feeling. The one you drew of Eevee in that black dress on the swings was great."

"Well," she sighed, "every time I draw myself it makes everyone so sad. I do draw what is in someone's heart and a lot of people don't understand how my heart works. I do have pictures of me in here. I could draw another one of you, if you'd like."

Seto nodded and thought of how he wanted the basic picture to look. He stood on the ladder to the slide, and Peggi laid down on the slide so that she was facing him, holding herself up easily. Seto had his head resting in his hands on the top of the slide and relaxed so he wouldn't have to move while she was drawing. It wasn't long at all and Peggi already had the picture finished. Seto climbed up to the top of the slide and sat down, Peggi holding on to the bars at the top and holding herself up to look at it with him.

It was actually really great and Seto loved the things she added. He was resting his head in one hand, a smirk on his face and holding a duel monster's card in his other hand, showing it off. It was the White Eyes Blue Dragon card he'd seen in her deck. He noticed something on the other side of the page and began to turn the page when she grabbed his hand.

"It's not ready yet," she explained, taking the notebook from him.

Seto smiled, "That picture was really good. I liked it a lot. You're very talented. Why can't you become an artist like you want to do?"

"Because I have talents that will get me a lot farther even if that means sacrificing a few things. It's the same as your choices. You chose to give up your dreams for the money."

Seto wanted to argue with her but what she said was true. He'd given up his dreams so that he could have money and help to raise Mokuba. He supposed that most of her choices were for her cousins but he had to know more about her.

"I hope this isn't too personal a question, but," he tried to think of how to ask this just in case it was too painful to hear or answer, "why do you take care of your cousins? You are only a teenager, about the same age as I am and you live on your own and struggle to get by. Don't you have parents here? Or did you move for some reason?"

He was getting at the question of was there child abuse involved but his answer made child abuse seem like a better answer.

"My parents are both dead. My father died when I was very young and my mom was my best friend but four years ago there was a terrible car accident and she was killed. She was on her way to pick me up from a friend's house and a drunk driver hit her head on. She didn't even make it to the hospital. I never even got to say goodbye."

Seto felt like he was about to cry. The way she explained it was almost like saying he'd lost Mokuba and there seemed to be a lot of pain in her voice, but he imagined she was hiding her feelings much like he did.

"Is that why you're so sad all of the time?" he asked, lowering his eyes and feeling terrible for bringing up such horrible memories for her but not being able to make himself shut up.

"Stop feeling sorry for me," she said, giving him a little kiss on the cheek, "I'm doing just fine. I've lost a lot of people I love throughout my life and life has been rough on me but I am thankful that I've been given what I have. I have a lot of people around me who love me, friends I wouldn't trade for all the money in the world and I have the best roommates anyone could _ever_ ask for! I have a lot of complaints but I wouldn't trade my life for anyone else's."

"I wish I saw things from your eyes. You have such a wonderful view of the world and no matter what happens to you, you seem to see the positive side."

"You should see her in the mornings when I make her wake up early!" Eevee laughed, walking up to them and smirking at the two.

Peggi looked around and realized how dark it was getting. It was about time to leave so she turned around and slid down the slide.

"I guess we should get going now!" she told Seto.

He climbed down and followed the girls and Shiryu to the car. He was actually a bit excited to see where they were going.

**END OF CHAPTER ELEVEN**

Peggi: The next chapter will definitly please the reviewers! Next chapter you get to know where everyone is going!

Seto: To bed. I want to go to bed!

Peggi: Fine. But just until the next chapter. I need you here for the next chapter!

Seto: Whatever.

Eevee: Whee! A new update! (is happy)


	12. Chapter 12

Peggi: I decided to cut this chapter in half. It was getting a big long so thirteen will be kinda like the other half!

Marik: You know, you're out having fun and Shark and I are destroying your house.

Peggi: I'll kill you if you do! Thanks to everyone who has been reading this so far, and I hope you all are enjoying it! I have a wedding to go to so I just wanted to get this out before I leave! Which I'm about to do! So R&R and enjoy!

**CHAPTER TWELVE**

Shiryu only drove for about five minutes when he pulled into a parking lot. There were quite a few cars in the parking lot and Seto could hear heavy base music playing somewhere outside the car. He saw flashing neon lights and looked at the building they were outside of. As they stepped out of the car he could see that it was some sort of night club. The music was playing loudly from inside and there was a small line of people waiting to go inside. Seto realized now why they were in that specific attire and knew why they didn't want to get there until after dark.

They walked to the back of the line and waited their turn. Most of the girls were in short skirts with low cut tops and looked pretty slutty. Seto looked at Eevee and Peggi. They looked absolutely gorgeous especially compared to these other girls who had to cake on makeup to look halfway as good as they did even when they barely had any makeup on at all.

"So, this was the big event?" Seto asked, not sure if this was it or if there was more.

"Yep! I figured you could use a good night out just having fun," Peggi smiled at him.

It didn't take long at all and they made it to the front of the line and Peggi handed the man at the door some money and they were all allowed in. Seto looked around, amazed to see so many people in one room. Seto didn't recognize the songs that were playing but they had a nice beat to them. There were couples and groups dancing on the floor. Seto had never really seen people dancing like this, but knew that it was _real_ dancing he believed the term for was 'dirty' dancing. It almost made him laugh to think of himself in this place. He had been to a lot of galas but it was all ballroom dancing and champagne. He wasn't sure if he could dance like this and was afraid that he would look really silly if he tried to dance like that.

Too late for second thoughts, because both Eevee and Peggi were dragging him right on to the dance floor. Shiryu and Eevee began dancing and Seto began to back away.

"What's wrong?" Peggi asked.

"I don't think I can dance like this," he explained, a little embarrassed that he had to admit not knowing how to do yet _another_ 'normal' thing.

"It's easy!" Peggi laughed, "It's like sex only standing and with clothes on!"

Seto gave her an even _stranger_ look this time. How the heck was he supposed to relate it like that if he had never had sex before and even if he had, he didn't think that it was possible to relate _these_ motions with sex?

Before he had the time to complain, Peggi grabbed him by the hand and pulled him close to her. She turned her back to him and began swaying her hips. Seto was a little nervous because it almost seemed inappropriate to dance with her like this but everyone else in the room was comfortable with doing the same thing, so he figured that there must be something to it. He tried to imitate what he saw Shiryu doing and pretty soon he felt like he was doing a really good job.

Peggi and Eevee both danced the boys over to a group of girls and they stood in the circle, the boys still behind them gently holding on to their waists and swaying along to the fast beat of the music. Both girls began to grind their hips and move in a sensual and sexy fashion. Seto noticed several of the guys there were watching them, obviously jealous that they weren't the ones dancing with the two beautiful girls.

Soon, Seto was lost in the moment. He began to move his hands up and down Peggi's body, just going along with what he saw Shiryu doing and suddenly realized why Peggi had referred to dancing as clothed, standing sex. It really could be sexual.

Eevee and Shiryu left the two of them in the group to go get drinks and the song changed to a much slower song. Couples began to hold on to each other and dance slowly on the floor. Seto turned Peggi around and wrapped his hands around her waist. She wrapped her hands around his neck and they moved so close together than their bodies were completely touching. Eevee and Shiryu walked back onto the floor and did the same thing. Eevee rested her head on Shiryu's shoulder and the girls smiled at each other.

The song was very beautiful and those few minutes made Seto think about everything that had happened during the last few weeks. He had never had the chance to go out and have fun with anyone and he now had his own group of friends and was holding a beautiful girl, forgetting that the rest of the world even existed.

Seto looked into Peggi's eyes and found himself lost in them. He didn't want to look away and it was almost as if he were trapped in her gaze. The song ended and Seto pulled her even closer if it was possible, lifting her chin up and kissed her softly. She didn't pull away but instead returned his kiss and then he pulled her into a hug, whispering something to her.

"You'll never know just how much you've changed my life and how much you mean to me."

Peggi smiled and they began to walk off of the floor. They had all been there for at least a couple of hours and they were all very tired. The boys left Eevee and Peggi at the table and were off getting drinks when Eevee gave her cousin a really big smile.

"That had to be the cutest thing I've seen all evening!" Eevee's smile grew even wider.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Peggi tried to change the subject, "wow are you hot? I'm hot. I think I'll be sitting out for a while!"

Eevee just rolled her eyes at her cousin's sad attempt to redirect her attention, "You really like him, don't you Peg?"

Peggi lowered her eyes to the floor and played with the strings on her boots, "He's okay I guess."

Eevee just sighed, "Fine, don't admit it. But I know you like him! Otherwise you wouldn't want to spend so much time with him. He's really a cutie. Any girl would be thrilled to be around a guy like that. I bet he had girls swarming around him at one point!"

"It was the money, Eevee. Believe me it wasn't his _sparkling_ personality that drew a crowd. They liked him for his money, his looks and the thought that they might just get something out of it if they hung around him like little flies. You're right though, he is great to be around now that he's not such a jerk."

The boys stood at the counter, waiting for their drinks and Shiryu turned to Seto.

"So, are you having fun?" he asked, starting conversation.

"Yes actually. I wasn't too sure at first but this is great so far."

"I saw you sneak in that little kiss a few minutes ago. Smooth. Just keep in mind that if you hurt a girl she will haunt you forever."

Seto just stared at him in amazement, "What makes you think I have any intentions of hurting her?"

"I don't know you very well, Seto, but I know Peggi and if she ends up crying because you _think_ you love her and you end up breaking her heart one day, you won't want to meet me in any dark alley. She is one of my best friends and I would do anything for her, so just don't break her heart. Understood?"

Seto was a little worried at this point, not sure if he should say something or not. As usual, his mouth spoke before his brain had time to tell it what to say.

"If you think that I am going to hurt her then perhaps you should tell _her_ to back off. She's the one trying to get close to me. I didn't come here of my own accord, she practically forced me into being here tonight. All I wanted was to be by myself and raise my little brother and stay away from others but she kept trying to involve herself in my life."

Shiryu just glared, "If I weren't such a nice guy, I would put you in your place right here and now. You were the one who called her when your brother was sick. If you think that this is some sort of game you had better back off now, because Peggi is the best gamer you'll ever meet. If you want to play with her, go ahead, but she _will_ win and you won't stand a chance. Just remember my warning and keep it in mind whenever you're around her. That's all there is to say so don't bother arguing anymore."

Shiryu picked up two of the cups and Seto grabbed the other two and they headed back to the table that the girls were sitting at. Peggi had a look of concern on her face when she noticed that Seto almost looked rattled by something.

"What's wrong?" she whispered to him as they sat down.

Eevee and Shiryu began a quiet conversation and so Seto looked back to her.

"It's nothing," he replied, not wanting to cause any problems between she and Shiryu.

"You look upset."

"Really, it's nothing. It's just," he wondered if he should say something or not, "Shiryu is afraid I am going to hurt you but that's not what I want to do. I really like you and you look so amazing tonight. You've helped me out so much since I began working with you and-"

Peggi raised her hand to his lips to silence him, "Don't worry, he's just looking out for me. I've been hurt before and he hates seeing me get hurt."

Seto felt a little relieved but was still a bit upset at the same time. He didn't want Shiryu to think that he was trying to hurt his friend and that was really the last thing that he wanted. They sat there, talking for a little while and were considering going back onto the dance floor when a young man walked up to their table. He seemed to be around their age, probably a few years older than Peggi. He sat down next to Peggi and smiled at her.

"Hi, my name is Mikoto. I just couldn't help but notice you just sitting here. I was wondering if you would like for me to buy you a drink? Maybe we could dance together?"

"Thank you, that's very sweet," Peggi began, "but actually these are my friends and I'm here with them. You're welcome to come dance _with_ us, though. We were just about to go back on the floor."

Mikoto nodded and the five of them walked back to the dance floor. Seto noticed Eevee giving Peggi a look of approval and Seto glared at the back of Mikoto's head. He really didn't like this guy. He wasn't sure why, but he just really didn't want Mikoto around at all. They all began to dance and Seto grabbed Peggi possessively, making sure that Mikoto had to stand off to her side to dance with her.

Several songs later Seto began to feel really hot and wanted to sit down but he didn't dare leave his spot because then Mikoto would take over. Suddenly Seto realized something. He was actually _jealous_ of this new guy! He didn't want to share his friends, especially Peggi with this guy and he was actually being a jerk over it. He decided to lighten up a little bit and let Peggi go a bit. She was between the two boys and Eevee was dancing to her side, so Seto didn't see any harm in Mikoto being there.

There was no harm, that is, until he saw Mikoto's hand sliding down Peggi's back. He was just dancing with her but Seto didn't like the way he was touching her, and he shoved Mikoto's arm away from her. This obviously caught Peggi's attention because she stopped dancing and turned to Seto.

"It's okay, I don't mind. There's no harm in it."

"Yeah, just chill. She's not property! She can dance with whoever she wants, and I think she'd rather dance with me!"

Peggi suddenly realized the mistake in inviting Mikoto. He obviously thought that because Eevee had been sitting in Shiryu's lap, he wouldn't have had a chance with her, but she had just been sitting at the table almost by herself because Seto had been talking to the other two. Mikoto must have thought that he might have a chance with Peggi and that was a bad idea since Seto seemed to be so possessive of her. Bit mistake.

"Just go find some other girl to dance with!" Seto ordered, getting angry.

Mikoto shoved Seto, "You wanna start something?!" he screamed, getting the attention of several people dancing around them.

Without any warning as to what was about to happen, Seto slammed his fist right into Mikoto's face. As Mikoto stumbled to the floor several people gasped and Shiryu stepped between the two before a fight broke out. Mikoto stood and ran off, disappearing into the crowd.

Seto began to laugh, thinking that he'd won but Peggi and Eevee grabbed him and started to drag him off of the dance floor.

"What are you doing?" he asked, still high from his victory.

"We're getting out of here!" Shiryu turned around a few times while they headed towards the doors.

"Why? He's gone already!"

"No," Peggi began, "he'll be back. And he'll bring _friends_."

The four of them began laughing in the parking lot, heading to the car.

"That was pretty cool, you have to admit!" Eevee laughed, thinking of how hard Seto had hit him.

Honestly, she didn't like Mikoto from the start and didn't really like the way he had tried touching her cousin. She was a bit proud of Seto for standing up to him like that.

Shiryu unlocked the car and they all got in, "Very cool but it was a really stupid idea. What if he had tried fighting back? What would you have done then?"

Seto lowered his eyes, "I didn't think of that."

"Why did you do that, anyway? I could have handled it," Peggi asked, checking his hand to make sure he was okay.

"Because I don't want any other guys touching you. Not ever."

Eevee couldn't help but say "awwww!" and Peggi wasn't really sure _what_ to say. No one had ever hit someone for her before.

"I feel bad that I ruined everyone's night," Seto apologized.

"No one's night got ruined," Peggi laughed, "except possibly Mikoto's!"

"I'm guessing you have other ideas in mind other than going home?" a smirk crossed Seto's face.

"Of course!" Eevee and Peggi both exclaimed at the same time.

Seto could really get used to nights like this and couldn't wait to see where they were headed next.

**END OF CHAPTER TWELVE**

Seto: Even I liked this chapter! Except for-

Peggi: Shut up. I don't even want to hear your complaints!

Eevee: Bring on more character development!

Peggi: Soon, m'dear, soon!

Mokuba: I wasn't in this one and now I'm sad!

Peggi: Don't worry sweetie. You'll have your own little mini chapter soon!

Eevee: Update soon!


	13. Chapter 13

Peggi: Well this is a little shorter because it was the other part to 12 and then I wanted to give Tex, Marik, Mokuba and Shark some personal screen time. Also, we have a reviewer's appearance in this chapter!

_Disclaimer:_ Karoa owns herself but her insert is Peggi's doing!

Peggi: Hope you enjoy the way you were written in! And to the rest of you, more appearances will be in here, just give me a name to use if you haven't already! R&R and enjoy! Oh, and check out the rather, uh, interesting notes at the end!

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN**

Again, the drive didn't seem to be very long and Seto was anxious to see where he had been taken to this time. He looked out the window but didn't really see anything of interest and the only think he recognized was a plain building with quite a few cars parked outside. He heard music as he stepped out of the car but it didn't seem like the music from the club, and so he didn't think that they were here to dance. There was a man waiting outside of the door, obviously to keep certain people from going in and let others inside. Seto looked to Peggi and Eevee who just walked to the door and Shiryu and Seto followed right behind them.

Peggi spoke to the man and he let the four of them inside, and Seto was amazed when he walked through the doors.

"We're in a bar?" he questioned, looking around and not knowing what four underage teens could do in a bar.

"Sure, why not? Do you have a problem with alcohol?" Eevee asked, hoping that they hadn't made a mistake in bringing him there.

"No, but we aren't allowed to drink because we're too young and there isn't much else to do here," Seto explained.

"Who said we weren't allowed to drink?" Peggi asked, looking around to sarcastically emphasize that no one was going to stop them.

"They'll ask for an ID and they won't give you anything to drink at the bar," Seto explained.

"They ask for ID at the door. Without one you aren't allowed in. Luckily, I know the owners and we can do whatever we want in here. Well, except for burn things after the incident with Marik. Remind me again why I left him in charge of Shark and my house?"

At first Seto wasn't too sure about drinking because he had never really had any alcohol before except for maybe a few sips of champagne at some of the business meetings or large events he had attended. Peggi was the one to get everyone their first round of drinks and came back with vodka and sprite for everyone but Eevee, who had decided to have just a few sips of it but drink soda the rest of the time.

Seto picked up one of the glasses and took a tiny taste of the beverage Peggi had brought everyone. It tasted different but he didn't seem to have a problem with the taste and by the time they'd had several rounds of the stuff, he felt pretty relaxed. He was actually feeling a little dizzy or perhaps just very tired but he didn't mind the feeling. It was his turn to bring something back, but this time they wanted to try something different. This time they were going to have their vodka with coke! Seto felt like the floor was moving, trying to get away from him and he barely made it to the bar to order without falling over.

He finally made it safely back to the table to find that Eevee and Shiryu weren't there.

"Where is everyone?" Seto asked, sitting down and proud of himself for not spilling anything.

"Shiryu had to go to the bathroom and Eevee wanted to make sure he didn't crash into anything on his way there," Peggi explained, using wild hand gestures to explain it.

"Oh, okay."

"You know," Peggi stared hard at Seto's face, "you have _really_ sexy eyes."

Seto just gave her a goofy grin and began laughing, "You're," he paused to think of the word, "uh, really hot! We should go out!" Seto smiled widely at her.

"We _are _out silly! Wait, where are we again?" Peggi looked around, "Did we get married?"

Seto laughed really hard and when he saw Eevee walking up to them he thought about the question a little harder and shook his head, "No! We're here because we were dancing! Remember? I hit a guy in the face because no body touches my girlfriend but _me_!"

Eevee was the only one there not totally plastered and listening to everyone try to talk to each other sent her into random bouts of laughter. This statement just couldn't be passed up. She was determined to remember every last thing that they all said to remind them and possibly use as black mail of some sort.

"So now you two are dating?" she laughed at their incoherent statements.

"Yes, that's what we just talked about and Peggi said we should go out," Seto explained slowly, trying to get his words straight.

"Oh!" Peggi laughed until she snorted and then covered her mouth, "I thought you meant go out places together! I don't even remember where we are!" Peggi looked around again.

"Oh," Seto got a look of disappointment on his face but Eevee knew that he probably wouldn't remember any of this the next day.

"We should get going soon guys. The two of you have to be at work by noon and I don't work tomorrow so I won't be there to supervise you!" Eevee laughed.

Peggi began to whine and Shiryu took her by the hand and assured her that they would be back soon. Eevee enjoyed watching them walk back to the car, all of them stumbling around. When they were just about to get into the car Eevee heard her name being called out. She turned to see a friend she'd met years before in high school.

"Hey, Karoa!" Eevee called out, recognizing her immediately.

"Hey!" Karoa ran up to them and gave Eevee a big hug and then turned to Peggi who was playing with her hair, "I'm here to pick up a friend. Looks like you guys had fun!"

Eevee laughed, "You could say that! We just figured we needed a good night out!"

Karoa looked at Seto and then her eyes widened, "Seto Kaiba?! _THE_ Seto Kaiba?!" she began squealing like a fan girl.

Seto just gave a little wave and then ducked behind Peggi in case this stranger decided to attack him with hugs like so many girls had in the past.

"Yup, that's him. He's in our little posse now. Amazing that we haven't killed him yet, eh? He may be Peg's boyfriend but we're not sure. He's a little to plastered at the moment to make any sort of sense and Peggi usually doesn't make sense even before the alcohol!" Eevee laughed, poking her cousin in the ribs.

"How have you been?" Shiryu asked, trying to stand straight.

"Good. Busy but good. I've started up a small business making customized bumper stickers. Doesn't sound very profitable but you'd be surprised! I'm having fun with it but I am always so buys because we get so many requests in!"

"Sounds good!" Peggi smiled, trying to come back to her senses.

"Karoa! Hey, Karoa!" a boy yelled from the doorway of the bar.

"Oh, I guess I should get going. It was really great seeing you guys again! You're all looking great," she smiled to Eevee and motioned towards Seto, giving a little wink to express her very great liking towards him especially.

"You're doing pretty good too and congratulations on the business!" Eevee said her goodbyes and then got into the car.

Eevee decided to drive and Shiryu sat in the front with her, "I can't wait to get my actual permit so I can drive legally!" Eevee smiled widely at her cousin who gave her a thumbs up.

The whole way home, Seto felt a little bit sick but really hyper and tired at the same time. He couldn't explain how he felt and he hoped he'd be okay to work the next day.

(Time change to Tex's arrival at the apartment earlier that evening)

Tex knocked on the apartment door and a small dark haired boy answered.

"Hi, your brother and Peggi asked me to come spend the evening with you!" Tex smiled at Mokuba.

Mokuba nodded and opened the door more so that his babysitter could come in, "Hi, I'm Mokuba. What's your name?"

"Tex. So, how are you feeling?"

"Okay I guess. I think I'm getting better. Where did my brother go?" Mokuba was more curious than anything but was really glad that his brother was actually getting to go out somewhere with friends.

"Well, he went with Peggi and Eevee and Shiryu to a park and then they were going to spend the evening at a club where you can dance and talk and just hang out. I'm sure they'll be home before _too_ late but knowing them, they'll want your brother to spend as much time there as they can!"

Mokuba smiled as they sat on the couch, "I'm glad my brother is doing stuff with other people! My big brother is the best brother in the _world_ but I get sad a lot because sometimes when he thinks I'm in my room playing he sits by himself and cries. I hate to see him so sad but now that he met his first friend he's a lot happier. He even kissed her last night and it was so cute! I pretended it was really gross but I think he has a _crush_! Isn't that so funny?!" Mokuba laughed.

Tex laughed a little and then a devilish grin crept across his face, "I'm glad that Peggi is doing a lot of good for your brother. So has he said anything about her to you yet?"

Tex was fishing and Mokuba knew it, "If you wanna know the dirt on my brother, just ask! I know everything about him!"

Tex laughed, knowing that he was caught in his little plan of evil but continued to fish around for anything to use for his own comical relief or any future ideas.

"Okay, so tell me anything you can! Embarrassing moments, things he wouldn't want _anyone _to know?"

Mokuba just grinned, "Oh, you're in for some great stories! Just today I gave away one of his secrets to Peggi! He likes to eat weird things together with food and he doesn't like anyone to know! When he sleeps sometimes he says things while he's asleep and he sleeps with a pillow next to him and cuddles it because before we went to the orphanage when we were really little he had a teddy bear but he didn't want the other kids to pick on him so he had to give it away and he still misses it!"

Tex was having a field day with this and was already laughing so hard, tears were forming in the corners of his eyes, "More!" he demanded.

Mokuba just continued to grin, thinking of more things he could share that he had never really been able to talk about before, "Well, there's this weird thing he does when he takes a shower," Mokuba stopped when he saw a questioning look on Tex's face.

"I don't know if I want to hear _this_ one," Tex laughed.

"No! Don't think gross! It's nothing gross! He talks to himself and then replies to himself like he's having a conversation with someone else only he's the only person talking!"

Tex was _so_ glad Peggi and Eevee had elected him to watch Mokuba. He could learn so much in just one night that no one else would ever find out in a year's time!

At Peggi's house, Marik and Shark were having a very good time taking turns on Halo.

"Want something to eat?" Marik asked.

"Yup."

"Well when you're getting it can you make something for me too?" Marik asked, eyes glued to the screen on the TV.

"Oh. I guess."

Marik was alone for about 20 minutes just playing the video game when he realized just how long he had been left alone in that room, a hyperactive teenager running around trying to cook when he really didn't know how to. By the time he made it into the kitchen, he realized his biggest mistake.

"Wh-what's _that_?" Marik pointed to a big glob of. . ._something_ on a plate.

"It's a gram cracker with marshmallow cream on it and chocolate syrup and melted peanut butter! Want some? It's really good! I already had five!"

Marik laughed, putting one for himself together, "You know, when your cousin asked me to watch you I didn't think that I could choke down my pride to be blackmailed into doing this but I think sweet sugary and caffeinated revenge are a perfect way to think of it! Eat up, Shark! We have a lot of sugar eating to do before everyone gets home.

**END OF CHAPTER THIRTEEN**

Peggi: Okay, so here's the deal. Last night I went to a wedding for a cousin with Eevee and "Shark" and let's just say the drunk Peggi persona is not just from my mind, apparently I ramble a lot, have no clue where I am and forget if it's my wedding or not. The big jokes most of you won't understand but Tex and Eev wil upon reading this are me wondering if I got married (or if my boyfriend is related to me), I don't remember where I am at or why I am there, I think eyes or lips are sexy and of course, the best part of a totally "hammered" Peggi is that I look ever so fabulous in pictures with totally red cheeks and am very loud.

Eevee: Oh, the irony! And to think, the idea for this chapter came before the wedding!

Peggi: Ah, but the inspiration for how I should act came from me recording myself talking about alcohol and mumbling!

Seto: I don't appreciate being made a fool of! Your character is you, I just know it! The name, the personality, the lack of brains, I hate you both!

Peggi: You don't mean that. You're probably just angry because Mokuba is giving away your secrets!

Mokuba: AND GUESS WHAT ELSE HE DOES!!!

Seto: (ends the notes now)


	14. Chapter 14

Peggi: I am soooo sorry that this hasn't been updated in so long. I'm sure all of you are so frustrated with me! I'm in med school now, swamped with homework and I never really have any time to write anymore! I'm going to try and update as much as possible though, I SWEAR to you guys!!!

_Disclaimer:_ Peggi owns nothing. NOTHING YOU HEAR ME?!

Peggi: I hope you enjoy this and again, I will work very hard on updating more often from now on, okay? Thank you so much for the reviews, though. That is what keeps me writing this! The more reviews the more updates, so reviews would be helpful!

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN**

Seto didn't really remember too much of what had happened the night before other than the fact that he had never had so much fun in his whole life. He awoke the next morning to his little brother pouncing on top of him. Seto dragged himself out of bed and tried to remember at what point he had even come home. He vaguely remembered Tex leaving in a fit of laughter for some odd reason and going straight to bed.

Seto felt like a zombie. He managed to take a shower and get himself dressed just fine but his head hurt a lot and he felt sick for some reason. He was able to make Mokuba toast for breakfast and figured that it was healthy enough but didn't feel like eating anything because he was afraid he would get sick. He tried to remember if he had contacted the car rental office yet or if he was supposed to get a ride to work with Peggi since she was supposed to be in at the same time he was.

Irony was on his side as just as that thought crossed his mind; there was a knock on the door.

"That's my ride, Seto!" Mokuba hugged his brother, "See you after school!"

Seto followed him to the door and saw Peggi standing on the other side when Mokuba opened it. She, too, looked half awake.

"Hey, Seto. I'm taking Mokuba to school and then I'll be back so that we can go to work in a couple of hours," Peggi informed him in monotone and then turned to walk away as Mokuba skipped down the stairs ahead of her.

Seto flopped down on the couch and cuddled up to a pillow. He didn't even realize he had fallen asleep until he realized he was just waking up. He opened his eyes, wondering how long he had been out when he noticed Peggi sitting on the floor in front of the TV, staring at him oddly.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked and then thought harder, "Wait, how did you get in here?"

"You left the door unlocked! I was looking at you like that because you say the weirdest things in your sleep. Has anyone ever told you that before?"

Seto was almost afraid to know what he might've been caught saying but was too cranky at the moment to ask _that_ question but another one bothered him a bit more, "Why were you watching me sleep and how long was I out? What time is it?"

Peggi just laughed, "I tried to wake you up but you woke up for a few seconds, shoved me and then fell back asleep. I figured you were really tired so I let you sleep and I was going to find something to do but hearing you talk about porn was a lot more interesting. I didn't think half of those things were possible!"

Seto could actually _feel_ himself blushing and wondered if he had really said anything like that, because he didn't even remember dreaming of something like that but Peggi burst into laughter and he realized she was probably kidding him.

"What, blushing now, are we?" Peggi teased, walking into the kitchen.

"You were joking right?" Seto asked, following her.

"Do you _really_ want to know?" she asked with a smirk on her face.

"Yes! You really need to stop joking around with me like that! I know you were just joking but that is very immature!"

"Oh, but Seto, I'm not being immature! I wasn't joking!" Peggi ruffled his hair and slid past him into the living room again, munching on a piece of plain bread.

"Don't do that to my hair! Get back here!" Seto chased after her and Peggi threw one of the pillows from the couch at him and the chase began.

Peggi ran straight to the bathroom and locked herself in. Seto pounded on the door and tried to open it.

"This is so childish! Get out here and face me like a, uh, like a woman! A _grown_ woman who doesn't lock herself in the bathroom!" Seto thought about that statement for a few seconds and realized how stupid that had sounded.

"Hah you just can't face the truth! Now you'll never know if I was joking or not!"

Seto was now becoming quite frustrated, and he was afraid that they would end up being late for work if they kept this up much longer. After a long silence and Peggi walking out in a giggling fit, they were off to work.

Peggi didn't play her music as loudly that morning as she usually did. Seto was thankful for this, as his head was killing him! He tried to remember anything from the night before, but he could get no farther than 10 minutes of entering the bar. He had a strange feeling, not one he'd ever felt before, and it had nothing to do with the hangover. It was an odd feeling of contentedness. He had gone out the night before, let loose, had _fun_, and spent time with his _friends_.

Suddenly, an odd question popped into his mind. How much did everyone _else_ remember? More importantly, what had happened between himself and Peggi? He had thought all evening about getting up the courage to talk to her about _feelings_ and all of that emotional crap, but somehow, after realizing that he might end up embarrassing himself, he thought better of it. Conversation was never easy for Seto, and the fact that Mokuba had always been the _only_ person he could talk to up until this point didn't help matters any.

After parking in the lot, Peggi walked with Seto inside, both of them changing into their uniforms. Peggi looked into the mirror and two green eyes stared back at hr. They had always been her eyes, and yet, no matter how many times she'd looked into them, they always seemed so distant and unfamiliar. She felt a shiver as she thought about what those eyes had seen and small reminders of why she never got close to anyone played in front of her brain like a skipping DVD, skipping the happy scenes and cutting to the blood, tears and pain.

Tears always stung the back of Seto's icy blue eyes, yet they never came. Not even when he wanted to cry, he simply couldn't. He constantly worried about how his choices would affect and influence his younger brother and not a moment went by that he didn't wonder if he was doing the right thing. Seto needed to face a harsh reality. His job wasn't going to cover even the basic expenses and he hadn't heard back from the other places he'd applied to.

Seto walked to the register at the front of the restaurant and punched in with his number and checked to see what needed to be prepared. While Peggi set up the store, Seto prepared the veggies for the day. By the time the store opened, Seto had prepared 4 containers of tomatoes, 2 onion containers, divided bags of lettuce into 6 containers and was beginning to slice cucumbers when the day's first customer walked through the doors. Peggi had her arms full of packets of meat, so Seto would need to wait on the customer. As he put on fresh gloves, his eyes filled with anger and hatred when he saw who had just walked in.

"Noa," he glared.

A smirk crossed Noa's face when he saw who was behind the counter, and an evil glimmer shone in his eyes.

"Why, hello there, Seto. Looks like you've finally found your talent. Waiting on your superiors!" Noa laughed insanely; possibly more maniacally than usual.

Baring his teeth and trying not to lose his temper, Seto looked down at the shorter and much more irritating brother and glared, "Can I help you?"

Peggi heard hostility in Seto's voice as she began to fill up the fridge with packs of meat and cheese. She realized immediately that he personally knew the customer and they obviously weren't friends.

"You can make me a cold cut, and then you can lose your multi-billion dollar company to me. Wait, scratch that last part. You already _did_ lose it to me!" there was more maniacal laughter, and Seto's hands were both balled up into fists.

Seto began to pull out the meat for the cold cut and just stared blankly at the smaller boy, "What kind of bread do you want?"

"KaibaCorp. . .I mean, Italian. I already _have_ a KaibaCorp."

Seto slammed his fists on the counter, "Enough Noa!"

Noa simply smirked, "Be careful with how you speak to your customers. If you are fired, Mokuba will starve! Because you've already lost _one_ job!"

That was the final straw. Noa's eyes widened in shock as Seto jumped over the counter and hit the other teen in the face. Peggi almost felt bad for having to pry Seto off of the rude customer.

"Cut it out, guys!" Peggi yelled, literally pulling Seto off of Noa.

As soon as he was freed, Noa decided that he had some sort of advantage over Seto, and so he began to lunge at Seto, but ended up being hit in the face, yet again, only this time it had been Peggi who had hit him. He was in even more shock than before and the fight or flight response began to kick in. Obviously he would not be at any sort of advantage if he stayed and so he turned toward the door and ran. Seto tired to run after him but he felt a hand gently pull at his arm.

"If you continue to fight with him you'll _definitely_ be fired," Peggi calmly coaxed him out of his angry state.

He sighed and gave up the idea of beating the life out of Noa and walked through the lobby to the door out the back of the room. Peggi followed directly behind him and he wondered inwardly how long he had been hitting Noa before he'd been stopped. Then the thought that he might lose _another_ job thanks to Noa made him feel sick to his stomach. He wasn't quite sure what the policy on fighting was, but maybe he could talk Peggi into taking his side if the need ever arose. Peggi must've been thinking the same thing, because she was the one to bring it up.

"They'll have it on camera, you know. But if he doesn't file a complaint, I have no reason to report you."

He couldn't think of a poetic or sweet response so he said what he could think of, "Thanks."

After the event with Noa, the rest of the day seemed so uneventful and boring. Lunch flew by and Seto was sitting on one of the counters. He watched as Peggi drew in her notebook, seeing the smooth movements of her pencil. Her hands let the pencil glide over the paper. He looked to her arms and wondered where the razor-like scars on her arms and wrists had come from and if she had done them herself or if someone else had hurt her. He looked to her neck and wondered how she would look with a diamond chain around her neck, then wondered why he'd thought about such a thing. He looked up and realized that she was staring at him.

"What?" she asked, wondering if he was okay.

He didn't realize he'd done it until it had already happened, and didn't realize it had happened until he felt her lips against his. He pulled back, embarrassed, and wondered where all of these thoughts and actions were coming from. He could tell that his face was a bit red and wondered if Peggi noticed his blushing. The only reason he felt a little more comfortable was because there was a small smile on her face and a warm and content look in her eyes. He stared into her eyes, wishing he'd met someone like her much sooner and was actually grateful that Noa had put him in this position. A little bit of his fears began to leave him, but then he felt his heart sink again when he remembered that he would need to find a higher paying job somewhere, because his income wasn't enough to pay for everything he and Mokuba needed to survive.

Peggi sensed that something was wrong, "Are you okay?"

"I am really worried about-"

A customer walked in, cutting off Seto's sentence, and Seto silently cursed under his breath.

"Tell me a little later. I'll take care of him," Peggi walked into the front.

The time to leave and second shift beginning didn't seem to come fast enough for Seto's liking, but he gladly clocked out and changed back into his regular clothes. He met Peggi at the car, suddenly realizing that he still had a headache, but it didn't seem as bad as it had earlier.

"So, what were you worried about earlier?" she asked him, unlocking their doors.

"Nothing," he mentally kicked himself, "well, actually, it's money. I have financial problems. I can't afford the apartment plus expenses, so do you think there would be a way for me to work extra hours?"

The warm smile from earlier returned, "If you were having money problems, why didn't you tell me sooner?"

Seto shrugged his shoulders as she started up the car, and he wondered yet something else, "So, what should I do?"

"Everyone usually just moves in with me," Peggi began to explain, "so I'm sure if you want to move in we could make room.

Seto thought about it for a moment, "How much would rent be? I really don't have much money, you know."

Peggi simply burst into laughter. Seto felt his face turn red for the second time in the last few hours.

"Why would I charge you rent? Just pay for any extras like if you want to go on vacation or something," she laughed a bit more.

Seto wasn't sure if he could take her seriously, but he considered what she'd said anyway. If he didn't have to pay bills or rent, he would be able to begin saving up money. The thought was tempting, but he still would have to think about the offer.

"Why would you do this for me?" Seto couldn't help but wonder.

"I care about you and Mokuba, and I don't want to see you give up or lose more than you already have. I want to help you."

The parking lot to the apartment complex that Seto and Mokuba lived in was the terrible reminder, and they had just pulled into it. Mokuba was staying after school and would call Peggi's cell phone when he needed to be picked up. Seto stepped out of the parked vehicle and took his uniform out of the trunk.

"I might take you up on your offer," he mused, trying to sound more casual than desperate.

"Just let me know. We can put you either with Mokuba or Shiryu, but we'll have to rearrange a little bit so I'll need to know a few days in advance."

How she managed to work at the same place he did, have no inheritance, and earn her money honestly from what he could see, yet still manage to help so many people financially, Seto did not know. He wondered if somehow her relationship to Pegasus had something to do with it. He might learn first hand, how she kept herself so financially stable, because other than moving in, he saw no other real solution to his problems.

They entered the small apartment and Seto threw his work clothes on his bed. Even though he had just spent all morning and afternoon around food, he felt hungry. He still didn't really know how to prepare food, but so far, Peggi had been very useful in this area.

"Teach me how to cook something new!" he almost demanded of her.

**END OF CHAPTER FOURTEEN**

Peggi:. . .okay. . .so it wasn't as long as I wanted, nor is it as. . .well written as I'd hoped. But I'm typing this at 2 in the morning! The next chapter will probably be a lot more comical. I almost felt sorry for Noa.

Noa: You made me look like a jerk!

Peggi: You are a jerk, sweets.

Noa:. . .true. . .

Seto: How dare you steal my company from me!

Peggi: It's just a fanfic, Seto! Calm down! KaibaCorp is still yours! I'd better end this and separate the boys before this gets bloody!


	15. Chapter 15

Peggi: With school hitting me hard, I haven't had much time to update. I feel bad ( Especially since my Eevee has been updating things lately!!! But at least this is something. We can thank Word Processing for this! Because without it, I'd be too busy being bored in school and yet doing nothing, to write this!

_Disclaimer:_ If Peggi owned something, anything, she wouldn't be writing fanfiction. She'd be sunbathing on a beach somewhere at the other end of the world where it's warm. Instead, she is stuck in a rainy town. Peggi is so poor (snickers)

Peggi: Please send in reviews, and don't worry, I promise I haven't given up on this fanfic, I'm just slow on the updates because of school. It's insane! INSANE I TELL YOU! But we're sticking each other with needles. So it's all good.

**CHAPTER FIFTEEN**

Peggi almost stared in confusion. She understood the order, but didn't understand why it had been _given_ as such. Seto realized how he'd asked for her help and decided to ask again, this time, differently.

"Can you teach me how to make something else?"

This time, she smiled at him instead of simply staring in confusion, "That's a lot better. And yeah, I'll help you out. _Again_."

While she went to work pulling things out of the refrigerator and cabinets, he thought about what they'd talked about. He had never had to rely on anyone before, but the situations had changed since . . ._ Noa_ had ruined everything. Most modern day jobs didn't pay much, and the expense of living _did_, so he already knew that the chances of him being able to afford rent anywhere else would be nearly impossible with the situation he was in. He kept trying to think of other jobs he could have, but all of the places he'd looked at required either a college degree of some sort or weren't hiring at the moment.

He'd wanted an Assistant Manager's position somewhere, because most places weren't looking for Managers, but even that was filled in. His only options now were with fast food, and Subway seemed like a better place than Taco Bell.

In speaking of tacos, there was all of the makings of them spread out on the counters and Seto slightly wondered where all of them had come from, as he really didn't remember having any of it to begin with. He noticed the seasonings and _really_ knew that he hadn't bought them himself.

"So now what?" he asked, ready to begin cutting things.

"Now, we put the ground beef in the microwave so it can defrost a little bit," she smiled, handing him the package of meat, "do you know how to defrost things?"

He looked to the microwave and nodded, a little unsure, when he saw two buttons that said defrost on them; he would figure it out. One of them had to be the right one. It couldn't be _that_ difficult to do.

Peggi simply smiled at him and allowed him to try and figure it out on his own. She knew that if he was going to be staying with them, he would have to know at least the basics. She'd get to his laundry skills at a later time. For now, defrosting something without making the entire apartment explode was most important.

While Seto was playing with the buttons on the microwave, Peggi put her jet black hair into a ponytail and began to cut up some tomatoes and lettuce. She figured that by now, if Seto didn't know how to at least do that, he really _shouldn't_ be working around food. She laughed to herself a little bit, thinking about the confusion on his face his first day at work; he had probably never even seen an uncut tomato before in his life.

Peggi was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't even realize what she was doing.

"Peggi!" she heard her name a few times before snapping back to reality, "What are you doing?!" Seto looked rather concerned.

She looked down and realized that while thinking about pretty much nothing, she had been holding the knife by the blade and was holding it a bit too tightly. There was blood dripping down the blade, onto the handle, and onto the floor. It probably _looked_ more painful than it actually was.

"What were you doing? Aren't you supposed to be teaching me what _not_ to do?!"

Peggi simply made light of the situation, as always, "Well, I was trying to show you how not to hold a knife. If you hold it like this, then this is what will happen."

Seto rolled his eyes. Obviously, if she was still able to be her sarcastic normal self, then she wasn't hurt too badly.

Peggi grabbed a roll of paper towels and began rinsing off her hand. The cut had been superficial, just across her entire hand, making it seem to be a lot worse than it actually was. But it _could've_ been worse. A lot worse. She would have to be more careful and try not to get too lost in thought again. She thought she was over all of that.

After bandaging her hand with paper towels and tape, her usual quick-fix for an injury, she grabbed a new knife and this time, actually began to cut up the vegetables instead of her hands. After the ground beef was apparently ready to come out of the microwave, Seto looked to Peggi for more instructions on this whole taco-making thing.

She pulled out a big chunk of cheese and Seto eyed it for a few seconds, wondering how it was going to fit inside of each of the tacos. Peggi handed him the big piece of cheese and a silver . . . thing.

"This is called a cheese grater. You grate cheese with it," Peggi laughed at her own joke; Seto did not.

"Go figure. How do you _grate_ cheese?" the words sounded awkward.

Peggi took the cheese and slid it down one of the sides of the grater thing, and when she did, there were tiny little slices of cheese, similar to what they used at work.

"You do it like that. Do it until all of the cheese is grated. Easy?" she smiled widely, handing him the cheese.

"I guess," he took it from her and began to try.

It wasn't difficult to do, it was just time consuming and he suddenly wondered why there weren't little packages of pre-grated cheese available to buy like at work.

"Oh, when the cheese starts to run out, be careful. The grater is sharp and you might cut yourself."

"At least I won't slice my hand open. Cutter," Seto joked, hoping that she wouldn't take offense, since it was obvious that at one point, she really _had_ been one.

She just laughed and rolled her eyes, starting to mix a bunch of seasonings together, "You can get all of the seasonings mixed together but I like to do it myself. Because I'm complicated."

Seto realized he was finally starting to feel less sick from the night before, and a question popped into his head, "Peggi, why did I feel so lousy today and you seem to be just fine after last night?"

She laughed again; he obviously amused her greatly, "I don't know. I just really don't get sick after a night like that."

He eyed her for a few seconds, trying to decide on whether or not she was playing with him or being honest. After deciding that she was serious, he finished with the last of the cheese and put the bowl he'd been grating it into in front of her to seek her approval on it. She nodded and then handed him a frying pan.

"Put a little bit of oil in it and then start breaking up the meat into it and cook it. I'll heat the oven up while you're pouring in the oil. Just fill up the cap and that's it."

He did as he was told and pretty soon the tacos were starting to look and smell like tacos, and just in time, too. Peggi's cell phone went off, and they both knew it was Mokuba, because it wasn't Eevee's ring tone.

Peggi walked into the other room to answer it, and came back into the room holding her car keys, "I'm going to get your brother. Just leave those in the oven for about 5 minutes and then take them out to let them cool a little bit. We'll be back in plenty of time, and don't forget to use an oven mitt or something to take them out!"

He wondered if she was honestly concerned that he'd take them out with his bare hands, but then realized that she'd gotten after him quite a few times about touching or attempting to touch things that were very hot with his bare hands.

Peggi drove to pick Mokuba up, trying to beat traffic lights and avoid hitting cars. She realized that she was probably not a 'safe' driver, but she knew that she wouldn't hurt anyone but herself if she were in an accident, and the chances of _her_ getting hurt in an automobile accident. . .well, she knew that wouldn't happen.

Seto watched the clock, waiting for the 5 minutes to be up so that he could take the tacos out and not let them burn, when there was a knock on the door. He knew that it was _far_ too soon for it to be Peggi, unless she'd forgotten something, but he couldn't think of what she would have forgotten that she'd be back for. He walked to the door and cautiously opened it, the chain lock still on.

Once it was open, he saw a small girl standing on the other side of it, a big smile on her face.

"Who are you?" Seto asked, unenthusiastically.

"Seto?! My name is Reena! I'm your biggest fan!"

'Oh, great', Seto thought, 'a fangirl'.

**END OF CHAPTER FIFTEEN**

Seto: Cutter.

Peggi: Shut up, un-rich boy.

Seto: Low blow?

Peggi: I'm not in the mood to deal with you. Not now, not ever.

Eevee: Someone doesn't like getting up early. . .

Peggi: (sweatdrop) No. . .I really don't. . .and having nothing to do for almost the whole 5 hours. Almost in a new mod though! w00t!

Mokuba: Please review so Peggi can update faster!


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